HIM Review: Extreme Football Horror Has A Reach That Exceeds Its Grasp

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I’ve had an unusually good run with horror movies in 2025! Every film I was really excited about has either lived up to the hype or surpassed it. It started with Drew Hancock’s *Companion*, which was full of surprises and had a great atmosphere, and continued with a string of fantastic movies like *The Monkey*, *Sinners*, *The Rule Of Jenny Pen*, *Final Destination: Bloodlines*, *Bring Her Back*, *28 Years Later*, *Together*, *Weapons*, and *The Long Walk*. I’ve been consistently shocked and delighted by what I’ve seen.

HIM

Here are the details for the film: It will be released on September 19, 2025, and is directed by Justin Tipping. The screenplay is by Zack Akers & Skip Bronkie, with contributions from Justin Tipping. The film stars Tyriq Withers, Marlon Wayans, Julia Fox, Jim Jefferies, and Tim Heidecker. It’s rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity, and some drug use, and has a runtime of 96 minutes.

Every winning streak eventually ends, and it feels fitting that Justin Tipping’s film, *HIM*, is the one that ended mine. I’ve been excited about this horror movie, which centers around football, for most of 2025. Even before seeing any footage, the fact that Jordan Peele was a producer caught my attention. Then, the first look at the film at CinemaCon in April was truly creepy. Football is a surprisingly good setting for horror, and the previews promised a visually stunning and disturbing experience. After watching the movie, I still think it delivers on that visual promise, but unfortunately, the story isn’t strong enough to support all the impressive style.

The movie has great visuals and strong performances from Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans, and it offers interesting commentary on professional sports. However, despite these strengths, it doesn’t quite come together as a fully satisfying film. The confusing mix of reality and fiction, combined with a plot that struggles to build tension, prevents it from fully justifying its wild ending.

Wyatt Withers plays Cameron Cade, a promising young quarterback expected to be one of the best ever. Just before the crucial scouting combine-where he’s supposed to impress professional teams after a stellar college career-a terrible accident happens. While practicing alone at night, Cameron is attacked and suffers a serious head injury.

Cameron’s brain injury threatens to derail his future, but he gets a surprising second chance when his idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), invites him to train at his private facility. If Cameron proves himself, he could become the next quarterback for the San Antonio Saviors – though it’s clear the NFL wasn’t involved in this project. He jumps at the opportunity, but quickly discovers that Isaiah’s training methods are far more intense and frightening than he ever imagined.

Justin Tipping makes use of dozens of tools to try and freak us out.

Let’s be clear: *HIM* is one of the most visually daring films from a major studio this year. Director Justin Tipping and his team boldly experiment with filmmaking techniques to disorient viewers, use rich symbolism, and create a truly unsettling experience. The cinematography, by Kira Kelly, consistently puts us inside the main character’s head – both in terms of his viewpoint and, due to his brain injury, allows for extreme and unconventional visuals. The line between reality and fantasy quickly blurs – signaled early on by a striking image of surgical staples resembling football laces – and the film creates a dense, immersive atmosphere that surrounds you.

The movie has both strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, it’s brave and honest, and it’s great that the director doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. However, once the story descends into chaos, it doesn’t really build any further tension or excitement – it just stays chaotic.

While HIM is full of horrors, it doesn’t quite find a way to properly pace them out.

The film *HIM* follows a rigid structure, with each day of Cameron’s training at Isaiah’s compound dedicated to developing qualities needed to become the greatest of all time – like composure, leadership, toughness, foresight, and self-sacrifice. Cameron becomes overwhelmed by intense drills, workouts, treatments, and medication, and the movie itself can feel similarly exhausting. Early on, during only the second day of training, he must master quick throws, or risk being hit in the face by a fast-pitched ball from a machine – and, predictably, he eventually suffers a gruesome injury.

The film starts strong with an impactful moment and maintains a good pace throughout, but it feels a little slow until its explosive and very graphic climax. While the finale is incredibly over-the-top, it also requires a lot of explanation to resolve the story.

HIM does get the most out of its clearly up-for-anything stars.

Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans are definite highlights, fully embracing the film’s over-the-top energy. Wayans delivers what might be his best performance in a quarter-century – a standout since his memorable role in *Requiem for a Dream* – but the film truly showcases the talent of young Withers. As Cameron, he skillfully portrays both a disarming innocence and a hidden strength, both of which are crucial to the character’s complex and unsettling story.

While visually striking and unique, *HIM* is a film you won’t easily forget. The people behind it are clearly talented, and we can expect great things from them in the future. However, to truly appreciate it, you have to accept that the movie tries to do more than it successfully achieves. It’s not a terrible Halloween offering, but it ultimately falls a little flat.

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2025-09-18 09:39