2025 has been a significantly strong year for original horror. Movies like Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, Zach Cregger’s Weapons, Michael Shanks’ Together, and Danny and Michael Philippou’s Bring Her Back have received both widespread acclaim and notable box office returns. Heck, Sinners and Weapons far exceeded all expectations and are two of the best films of the year, period. Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions is looking to capitalize on this momentum with HIM (2025), an original horror story set in the hypermasculine world of professional football. What was once a spec script titled Goat, Peele recruited director Justin Tipping (Kicks) to hone the project down into something that would still catch the attention of the masses while keeping its unique allure.
Thanks to a stellar marketing campaign, HIM has undeniably turned many heads with its original premise. The final product, however, isn’t exactly a clean touchdown. Like many horror movies that focus on cult ideologies, HIM reveals most of its cards pretty early and has very few up its sleeve after the fact. Another example released earlier this year, Opus, suffered from a similar problem, dragging itself for over an hour when the audience already saw everything coming. HIM is more refined, though, offering a genuinely fun concept with highly inspired visuals to boot. It may not carry much of a mystery, but it at least has something interesting to say about its themes of professional sacrifice and self-worth.
A Star Quarterback “Destined” for Glory
Young football prodigy Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) is on track to get drafted as the new quarterback of the San Antonio Saviors. Going pro in the USFF (the fictional United States Football Federation, subbing in for the NFL) has been his lifelong dream. More specifically, joining the Saviors and following in the footsteps of the legendary Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) is all his father, Cam, Sr. (Don Benjamin), had instilled in him before he passed away. In an instant, that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is almost taken away by an obsessed fan who attacks Cam with a blunt object. Fast forward a few months, and Cam is trying to recover from severe brain trauma, leaving his football career in limbo.
Cam is seemingly given a miraculous lifeline when his agent (Tim Heidecker) secures him a meeting with Isaiah White himself. The catch? He must stay and train with the eight-time championship quarterback and cultural megastar for a whole week at his private compound in the middle of the Southwestern desert. Isaiah’s mentorship starts off as intimidating yet well-intentioned, as he pushes Cam to his limits. The young athlete risks further brain injury to prove himself to his idol, literally putting himself on the line to achieve greatness. This is exactly what Isaiah wants to see, as his guidance slowly morphs into extreme emotional torment and gaslighting. Whatever it takes to make Cam worthy of taking up his mantle.
Being the GOAT Comes With a Hefty Price
It’s clear from the start that unseen, perhaps even supernatural forces are guiding Cam to his ultimate goal of leading the Saviors. Thus, the overall narrative isn’t so much preoccupied with leading viewers through a subversive mystery; it’s pretty straightforward. We all know that Isaiah is part of some sinister cult, and the film sometimes sets that up in ways that don’t need to be as painfully obvious as they are. This will undoubtedly test some people’s patience, as they will be waiting for some insane third-act revelation only to be left disappointed by something they could have probably pieced together from context clues. In Justin Tipping’s HIM, it’s not about deceiving audiences with multiple twists and turns.
Rather, HIM is good at pushing our expectations for how much Cam is willing to give into pure evil to become the next GOAT. It’s not necessarily groundbreaking, but it can sure be entertaining to watch. The screenplay maintains a breezy pace, with each day that Cam trains with Isaiah having its own theme: fun, poise, leadership, resilience, vision, and sacrifice. These subthemes also come with distinct set pieces, and cinematographer Kira Kelly (Echo) brings them all to life with vibrant colors as we explore the dark corners of Isaiah’s compound against a beautiful Southwestern backdrop. Additionally, certain visual motifs, like X-ray vision to showcase Cam’s ailing brain and growing insanity, are implemented throughout to keep the viewer engrossed.
Marlon Wayans’ Unhinged Performance Almost Makes Up for Wasted Potential
Speaking of commitment, Tyriq Withers (I Know What You Did Last Summer) and comedy icon Marlon Wayans, best known for the Scary Movie franchise, The Wayans Bros., and White Chicks, share the responsibility of carrying HIM on their backs. Withers, a relative newcomer, proves himself as a leading man, conveying a necessary level of vulnerability and innocence to make his machismo feel all the more fragile. Meanwhile, Wayans delivers perhaps his most unhinged performance yet. Fans love him for his comedic chops, and that’s exactly what he turns against us, creating a vessel for toxic masculinity that can be both freakishly terrifying and uncomfortably hilarious. To Isaiah, it’s not “God, Family, and Football,” it’s “Football, Family, and God.”
It’s unfortunate, then, that for all the good HIM has going for it, its core premise only goes so far. You can argue that it’s still worth seeing in theaters thanks to the off-kilter performances and striking images of horror; the climactic football-themed extravaganza of blood is a memorable standout. However, what lies underneath an admittedly impressive, flashy exterior won’t be enough to leave the majority walking out satisfied, bar diehard horror fans. Director Justin Tipping has something valuable to say about the price of stardom and, more importantly, the commodification of the modern Black athlete. Yet, these rich ideas are spread too thin across a superficial plot, leaving plenty of potential on the floor.
Even the inclusion of Julia Fox (Uncut Gems) as Isaiah’s influencer wife, Elsie White, feels like a wasteful afterthought!
HIM hits theaters on September 19!
Release Date: September 19, 2025.
Directed by Justin Tipping.
Written by Justin Tipping, Skip Bronkie, & Zack Akers.
Produced by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, & Jamal Watson.
Executive Producers: David Kern & Kate Oh.
Main Cast: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Naomi Grossman, GiGi Erneta, Norman Towns, Maurice Greene, Guapdad 4000, Tierra Whack, & Don Benjamin.
Cinematographer: Kira Kelly.
Composer: Bobby Krlic.
Production Company: Monkeypaw Productions.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 96 minutes.
Rated R.
