‘HIM’ Review – The Grim Glorification Of GOATs And Gods

Synopsis: HIM stars former college wide-receiver Tyriq Withers as Cameron Cade, a rising-star quarterback who has devoted his life, and identity, to football. On the eve of professional football’s annual scouting Combine, Cam is attacked by an unhinged fan and suffers a potentially career-ending brain trauma.

Just when all seems lost, Cam receives a lifeline when his hero, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), a legendary eight-time Championship quarterback and cultural megastar, offers to train Cam at Isaiah’s isolated compound that he shares with his celebrity influencer wife, Elsie White (Julia Fox). But as Cam’s training accelerates, Isaiah’s charisma begins to curdle into something darker, sending his protégé down a disorienting rabbit hole that may cost him more than he ever bargained for.

Participating in organized sports offers a young and developing mind numerous benefits. It teaches responsibility, accountability, hard work, perseverance, and teamwork, just to name a few. It also provides a family. For those with a difficult home life or feelings of not belonging, sports create a support system as well as an outlet for anger and frustration. Football, specifically fosters brotherhood like no other sport. Not only do they go to battle with one another, but no game is won without the help and trust of their teammates. However, once one or two players surpass the team in status and popularity, it can change everything.

“Football, family, god.”

When the clock hits zero and the final whistle blows and the roar of the crowd begins to subdue, there is one player who gets the glory in victory or takes the blame for a loss: the quarterback. They will either be a pariah in the city or state they represent, or worshiped like a god. They won’t say it out loud, but they all want to be the greatest of all time (GOAT). Directed by Justin Tipping, HIM is a mini-camp mindf**k. As the dark veil of football sacrifice is lifted and forcibly collides with the throne of worship fans sit its stars upon; the Jordan Peele-produced horror is the grim glorification of GOATs and Gods. With its hauntingly stylish visuals and camerawork, a deeply effective score, and a nuanced understanding of football culture, this is unlike any sports movie you’ve ever seen.

Filled with visual metaphors and religious symbolism, the commentary surrounding the physical trauma, mental anguish, culture of violence, and fanatic worship is easy to spot. However, it is better understood by those who have played football at least the high school level or are truly intrigued by the sport. As the film focuses on Cam’s week with his idol, Isaiah White, he is exposed to a nightmarish mini training camp. It’s not only preparing him to play football at the professional level, but also unknowingly running him through the gamut of what to expect and how much power you possess as QB1.

Each scene is darker than the one before it as Cam struggles to make sense of a reality that seems impossible. Its blend of macabre and camaraderie shatters the glory-glazed barrier between what we know the sport to be and what we pretend it isn’t. Every scene and every character represents a cog in the wheel of the continuation of gladiators and barbarism. We call it a game to blind ourselves from the truth. Million-dollar salaries are dangled like carrots to trap players like rabbits. All while a small group of billionaires are pulling the strings, collecting a lion’s share of wealth. And as the film gruesomely shows, these high-caliber athletes train like soldiers and will break their bodies and brains to change their lives and those of their families. As someone who played for years trying to reach professional heights, the feature hits like a linebacker. The praise should come from what they sacrificed to achieve almost unreachable goals; unfortunately, most people simply want entertainment in the form of carnage.

“When two men enter the colosseum, only one leaves.”

HIM is not necessarily an indictment or vilification of the sport or those who participate, but rather the championing of illusion. It’s the creation and conspiracy of a Sunday Savior, a Monday Night Messiah. It’s a transformation from “God, family, football” to grisly, frightening, football. Highlighting the pressures and suffocation of success, the fear of letting it all go, and the religion of football, the film is nothing short of an intense experience. Its rich aesthetic is cold and isolating. The costume design is eye-catching and disarmingly menacing. The dialogue is authentic. And the Justin Tipping direction is dynamic and intentional. With its twist ending and a career-best performance by Marlon Wayans, this conversation starter is one of the most intriguing films of the year. Its rewatchability is high.

Pace & Pop

While it features a relatively fast pace, the film’s trance-like quality allows pro-level absorption of even the quickest screen flashes. Where its speed may seem to hurdle over verbal context, its visual storytelling is a touchdown. What really pops is its singular focus on football culture. The film doesn’t attempt to do too much or overstuff its narrative, resulting in an incredibly niche presentation and delivery. However, that peek behind the curtain gives it broad appeal.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies

Welcome to the beautiful madness of Marlon Wayans. His electric performance is one of the year’s best. I liken it to Hugh Grant’s performance in Heretic. His disarming charm and calm subtly mutate into an addicting, unhinged chaos. The chemistry with Tyriq Withers not only elevates the film, but also solidifies that they were the correct choices. As it dives into the race politics of the quarterback position and football as a whole, the two thrive. Withers proves he can hold his own and is a star in the making. Outside of its focus on players, Jim Jefferies’ character Marco is just as important to the conversations surrounding the gridiron game. As the sports doctor, is he responsible for ensuring the players are mentally and physically healthy, or just good enough to be on the field? You can decide for yourself. Lastly, Julia Fox fit her role more perfectly than imagined. Her character, Elise White, will make you question the role of all high-profile WAGs.

HIM collides with theaters on September 18, 2025. Stay safe and buckle your chip strap.

Rated: R Runtime: 1h 36m Director: Justin Tipping Screenplay: Zack Akers & Skip Bronkie and Justin Tipping Producers: Ian Cooper, Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Jamal M. Watson Executive Producers: David Kern, Kate Oh