Him (2025) review – Marlon Wayans shines in a messy sports horror

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing Justin Tipping’s American football themed horror Him (2025).

Looks Like a Star, Plays Like a Rookie

I’m not going to lie, I was excited for this movie. I am a huge American football fan and the trailer absolutely nailed that slightly cheesy “draft night” style of player promotion. There were also a lot of boasts of Jordan Peele’s involvement in a production role which only served to further my interest.

The movie released under Peele’s MonkeyPaw label which also brought us the instant classic Get Out. The concept is great, as well! Sport and horror can often be a very good mix as high level competition features an intensity that works incredibly well with horror themes.

Unfortunately, like a draft night prospect with all the tools and hype but no substance, Him just doesn’t pan out and the best place for it is on the bench. Sure, it might have dazzled in the 40 yard dash, absolutely killed it in the team interview process, and can throw a 70 yard spiral while kneeling down. But, it just doesn’t have it where it actually counts – between the ears.

Him occasionally flashes brilliance, looks sensational on the field, but can never put it all together thanks to a messy and poorly constructed plot (expect more terrible football puns to come).

The story follows young quarterback prospect, Cam (Tyriq Withers, I Know What You Did Last Summer). Cam is supposedly the next big thing and has dreams of playing for his favourite team. After being violently attacked by a masked assailant, his career is left in doubt. Another head injury could leave him with permanent brain damage.

Eager to still pursue his dream, Cam is invited to train with his idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans, Scary Movie). What starts as an opportunity to prove that he is worthy of replacing the man he grew up worshiping, quickly turns into a nightmare as he realises the horrifying sacrifices he is forced to make to achieve success.

The film looks fantastic but does the on-field product match?

Let’s start with what works. Him is an absolutely gorgeous horror movie. Kira Kelly’s cinematography shines but it’s the almost dreamlike nature of the picture that really stands out. There’s an uncanny vagueness to every scene that effectively drags you kicking and screaming right into Cam’s world.

Everything that is happening in his life is ultimately surreal. Whether it’s the tremendous highs of being “the next big thing” or the crashing lows of almost losing it all to senseless violence. It’s all captured here in something of a visual feast.

You can almost feel his mix of excitement, anxiety, and disbelief at the situation he has found himself in. If you could conjure up a cinematic recreation of a highly touted rookie’s first year in the big leagues it would probably look a lot like this.

From the haziness of celebrity mingling to the constant clatter of camera shutters that punctuate the otherwise arduous training. Him is like the big screen equivalent of an NFL Films documentary. Acting is solid throughout, too.

“I had no clue he had such impressive dramatic acting chops. He is fantastic here and brings a level of intensity that’s genuinely impressive.”

Tyriq Withers is absolutely fine and does a very nice job with the physical demands of the role. Julia Fox brings some much needed kookiness to the film and I really enjoyed Jim Jefferies adding a tiny bit of comic relief.

It’s Marlon Wayans who stands out, though. Being perfectly honest, I am a horror guy; it’s really all I watch. My exposure to Wayans has been the Scary Movie series and the terrible A Haunted House. I had no clue he had such impressive dramatic acting chops. He is fantastic here and brings a level of intensity that’s genuinely impressive.

It’s just so damn messy!

Naturally, we have to talk about what doesn’t work here and, frankly, it’s a pretty extensive list. This is a very messy movie. It’s trying to tell a story that really doesn’t feel all that cohesive. That’s due, in part, to some frankly terrible editing and a lack of exposition.

Him is attempting to weave a story about the exploitation of marginalised people by the rich and powerful. And how they pit the impoverished against each other to divert attention from the sins they themselves are committing. Sort of like a modern rehashing of the tales of gladiatorial combat that provided a distraction in ancient times. With that being said, a lot of things happen that aren’t really expanded on.

This can leave the movie’s prevailing message feeling just a tad surface deep. Him could have really benefited from some further exploration into the psychology of Cam and how the bizarre situation is impacting his mind. It never really leans into this rich well of potential horror.

He almost acts as an observer to the events taking place rather than a reactor. Perhaps that is to reflect the nature of being one athlete in an intense team sport but it leaves you wanting more narratively.

“It’s hard to shake the feeling that there was a ton of footage left on the cutting room floor. This makes the movie feel like it is having a bit of an identity crisis.”

Pivoting back to the editing issues, the movie jumps around all over the place, cutting from one scene to another with no rhyme or reason. Cam’s journey from dream comeback situation to living nightmare stops and starts repeatedly. It never once feels smooth, self assured, and confident in its delivery.

It’s hard to shake the feeling that there was a ton of footage left on the cutting room floor. This makes the movie feel like it is having a bit of an identity crisis. There are so many different themes all vying for attention that it quickly begins to feel shallow and a bit unsure of what story it is trying to tell.

As the movie goes on, the level of play declines

For anyone who doesn’t find the movie’s message all that interesting, this is going to be an extremely boring film. For much of its length, it plays out like a monkey’s paw version of someone saying they would love to see an athlete’s first year of professional competition. Great! Here’s over an hour of them training and being shouted at. Interesting, right? Well, not really!

“It plays out like a monkey’s paw version of someone saying they would love to see an athlete’s first year of professional competition. Great! Here’s over an hour of them training and being shouted at.”

Him leans into the actual realities of high level sport just a little too much. Expect tons of dull gym sequences, throwing to teammates, and sitting in ice baths. Even fans of American Football are going to find this stuff a little taxing when it comes to holding attention. Much of it is important to highlight the sacrifices made by athletes and the demands of competition. But it’s not executed in a way that keeps it engaging.

When the actual horror arrives it seems wildly out of place. The final 15 minutes of the movie are so at odds with what came before that it almost feels like a fever dream. Some absolutely terrible dialogue lends a sense of farce to the events and the highly stylised, video game-esque, violence doesn’t fit.. Him takes itself ruthlessly seriously until it suddenly doesn’t and then turns into almost comic book levels of ridiculous.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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