HIM Review
A sports film is something that can be easily digested and understood, whether it be something autobiographical like F1 to something more fun like Happy Gilmore 2. However, if there were any two genres that are on two completely different ends of the spectrum, it’d have to be sports and horror. While it can be said that there are some films that find the line between the two, there are only a few creators who can achieve that. Director Justin Tipping tries to do so with Him, but the execution of its story leaves much to be fully realized.
Him follows rising quarterback Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), who hopes to be like his football idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). Though Cameron suffers from a potentially career-ending injury, it doesn’t stop him from accepting Isaiah’s offer for personal training. As his week with Isaiah progresses, Cameron slowly realizes that this program isn’t what it seems as terrifying visions and insane actions plague his journey. Stuck between sacrificing everything for the moment, Cameron must decide if he’s willing to take the risk.
What mostly works for Him simply comes from the performances of Wayans and Withers, both of which give this film its spark. Specifically, Wayans feels like a cult-like, more demented version of Coach Carter as Isaiah puts Cameron into these unusual situations. There’s a particular scene where Isaiah gets up front with Cameron in a terrifying way despite him joking, allowing Wayans to capture that terror perfectly. Isaiah is, without a doubt, incredibly sinister despite the character’s facade of being motivational.
However, Withers does get some moments to shine with Cameron, especially in some of the more physically intense scenes. It’s clear that he puts in so much work in making Cameron extremely dedicated to the craft, throughout multiple training montages. However, Withers is able to insert this sympathy for others as well, despite the character’s more stoic nature at the start. This is especially so in that catching scene that’s been prominent in the trailers, which feels like its own wicked Saw trap in disguise.
Additionally, there are also some other performances that stand out, particularly with Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, and Jim Jeffries. Fox’s Elsie is an ethereal, almost elusive, personality that feels like a siren to Cameron’s unassuming mind. Heidecker’s manager-agent character is about as pushy as you’d think from such a character as he nags Cameron on. For Jeffries’ character, however, his inner sincerity to warn Cameron about who (and what) Isaiah really is nearly works in creating that tension, but in such a cryptic way to make you wonder if he’s actually important or not.
Wayans and Withers’ fiery performances are enhanced by the strange, yet compelling, visuals that accompany Him. Editor Taylor Joy Mason and cinematographer Kira Kelly bring such a unique style that highlights the brutality of Isaiah’s teaching methods. For example, there are these x-ray sequences throughout the film that try to capture how physically impactful each blow is, which nearly reminds me of those Mortal Kombat fatalities. There are also these quick zoom-ins and shots of bodily decomposition that catch you off guard, which provides a bit of needed spook to an already unusual film.
As for the story itself, Him has a good run in the first two acts, but nearly fumbles the ball with its insane climax. Throughout the first two acts, Tipping keeps you on edge with somewhat subtle imagery that really nails its peculiarity about Isaiah’s motivation. It’s a needed slow burn that feels right for something experimental like a sports-horror film, but there are also a few moments that feel weird. There’s this one sequence with an extremely zealous fan who’s more of a fanatic and her unusual followers that might put some off.
The climax itself goes into full Gladiator 2 mode that makes you wonder if Him is supposed to be a horror-thriller or a supernatural-horror in a somewhat confusing way. While there were several tips hinting at how this was going to play out, this sequence truly feels on-the-nose and the ghastly explanation from Isaiah can lose the tension. The ending confrontation will certainly be divisive for audiences, but it also feels like Tipping wants to leave it to the audience’s interpretation to decide what narrative motivation was here.
Him is certainly an interesting experimental take from Justin Tipping; despite incredible performances from Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers, some unusual narrative choices and its heavy-handed climax will prove divisive for audiences. While it feels like it thematically makes sense, it tries to be somewhat too primal for its own good.
Him releases in theaters on September 19.
Rating: ★★★
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.