HIM is a 2025 horror film directed by Justin Tipping and written by Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, and Tipping. The film follows Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) as he spends a week training at his idol’s compound, aging GOAT Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). The film was PRODUCED by Jordan Peele, and I feel the need to mention this, as Peele was heavily involved in the film’s marketing, leading many to believe it was one of his projects. While his company was responsible for the film, I am concerned that the people who confused him with the director may have measured this against his other projects, such as GET OUT or US. This film is not anywhere close to the perfection of those movies; it doesn’t even speak the same language as them. However, it would be unfair to pit them against each other, as they are two incredibly different creatives behind the camera.
I saw this at a new theater, Harkins is currently trying to expand their line of Cine Capris, and the theater I regularly go to was one of the lucky ones to get an upgrade. It doesn’t compare to their OG Cine Capri, specifically the one at Scottsdale and the 101, but it felt bigger and newly renovated, which was nice. The sound system was impeccable, and if there were a movie released where sound was a major component, I would certainly go see it at this location. It even looks like they’re adding a second Cine Capri screen on the other side of the theater, which is awesome!
You might be asking what any of this has to do with HIM, and the answer is nothing. However, I am providing more detail than necessary because I have additional information to share about the architectural layout of the theater, rather than the movie that was on screen. I finished my Cherry ICEE before Julia Fox was even shown with her bleached eyebrows. My popcorn was gone before the religious imagery started. By the third act, I was left alone with just my thoughts and the film, and with a movie like HIM and an 8:50 PM showing, that is a dangerous combination.
I will start with the good stuff. The editing was fantastic. Highly creative and interesting, and made every scene pop. The first 50% of the movie was surprisingly very strong. The script, performances, and plot had me intrigued and confused about what the negative reviews were seeing that I did not. The performances are layered, specifically by Wayans in a very different role for him. You may have seen Tyriq Withers in I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, and while he has good talent and an attractive leading male, charismatic quality- I would not be surprised if he stuck to these mid-level horror films. He can certainly do more, and I hope he has not gotten stuck in this niche, but with his current slate of films, I fear that is where he is heading. I really liked some of the metaphors, even if they were a bit obvious at times. Football, in comparison to religion and slavery, is a topic that has certainly been discussed before, but it also possesses some unique imagery that lends it more depth.
Well, that was the good! When it comes down to it, HIM is very messy. The second half of the movie is disjointed, featuring scenes that feel cringy, and somehow over-explains while providing no details. It really just doesn’t make sense from a cinematic standpoint. Julia Fox takes on a bigger role, and while she is not necessarily a bad actress, this role was not written well enough for her to shine. I would not be surprised if some moments got meme’d in the same way MADAME WEB or WAR OF THE WORLDS did. The film had such a strong concept, and I recently quoted David Lynch in my review of THE LONG WALK, but I think his endless wisdom can also be applied to this situation. Stick to the original idea. So many movies, especially those like HIM, fall into the trap of always having to go further and further, trying to top whatever craziness they just filmed or compile 20 different ideas into 100 minutes. The original concept of HIM was so deeply fascinating. It was a mix of BLACK SWAN and THE SUBSTANCE, but for football and toxic masculinity. However, the writing became so deeply convoluted that I got mixed up about what I was actually supposed to be experiencing. I find it very frustrating when I’m excited about a film based on the trailer or description, only to be utterly let down by the final product. It seemed as if every 10 minutes, my star rating went down, until I was left with only 1 and a half.
HIM is not the worst film of the year, but it falls much closer to the bottom than the top. It is a movie you will watch on an airplane, accompanied by Biscoff cookies and a Diet Coke, where the ice immediately melts but somehow stays in the cup. You then awkwardly have to set a cup with ice on your tray table until they come around for the trash. You will probably forget that you watched the film, and that is okay because time does not exist while watching an airplane movie. I don’t have much to say about HIM, because, at the end of the day, there isn’t much to the film. It follows many of the same archetypes of OPUS, THE MENU, DON’T WORRY DARLING, BLINK TWICE, and all those fun thrillers that comment on how crazy the rich are. It is not the worst way to spend your time, but I highly recommend you go to see THE LONG WALK instead. I wish they had added more “Him” puns, because when you say the line “Himothee Chalamet, Him Kardashian” in the first 15 minutes, you have nowhere to go but up.
HIM is now playing in theaters.
