‘Him” a fumbled attempt at horror
Published 2:00 am Friday, September 19, 2025
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Tyriq Withers in a scene from “Him.” (Universal Pictures via AP)
If you have seen any advertisements for the new horror film “Him,” it is apparent the studio is trying to draw as much attention to Jordan Peele serving as an executive producer as much as possible — obviously trying to cash in on his success with films like “Get Out,” “Us” and “Nope.”
Fans of those films expecting a similar experience are likely to be disappointed however, with “Him” a heavy-handed attempt at the genre. It’s a familiar cautionary tale that is fumbled in the execution.
“Him” tells the story of Cameron Cade (Tyriq Williams), a can’t miss football prospect whose hopes of playing professional take a hit after he suffers a head injury during an attack.
Cameron is given a second chance in the form of Isaiah White (Marlon Wayons), a multi-time champion considered the greatest quarterback of his generation. Isaiah offers Cameron the chance to come train with him. Cameron quickly agrees to the offer, eager to train with his childhood idol.
The training camp slowly evolves into something more sinister as Cameron starts to see a darker side of Isaiah.
“Him” was directed by Justin Tipping, who cowrote the script with Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie. Tipping’s resume includes mostly shorts and television, something that is apparent with the way “Him” is structured. There are a lot of quick cuts, a lot of visual tricks and some not-so-subtle symbolism peppered throughout – a lot with religious and spiritual overtones (the fictional team Isaiah plays for is the San Antonio Saviors).
The screenplay is just as heavy-handed. If you have seen the trailer it really isn’t hard to figure out where this story is going – and pretty much be able to see the final act coming a mile away. In the hands of the right filmmaker and writers this can be overcome if the execution is creative and fresh, but this is just dull and uninteresting for the most part.
Wayans and Julia Fox, as Isaiah’s influencer wife, are probably the only two bright spots, but Williams is about as interesting here as he was in the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” remake early this year which is to say he’s pretty bland and not capable of helping elevate this subpar material.
Perhaps the most frustating thing about “Him” is you can see parts of a good movie buried in all the sludge. It’s just a shame someone with the talent of Peele couldn’t have been given the reins and created something better than this.
Grade: D
