Short answer: it depends on what you want. This HIM movie review breaks down the story, performances, scares, and themes so you can decide quickly. HIM is a stylish, ambitious football-horror film with a strong premise and committed performances. However, critics split on whether the story and scares deliver on that promise. If you like strange, symbolic horror, it’s worth a look. If you want a tight, easy-to-follow thriller, you may feel frustrated.
Quick facts
- Director: Justin Tipping
- Cast: Tyriq Withers, Marlon Wayans, Julia Fox
- Producer: Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions
- Genre: Horror/thriller with sports-drama elements
- Rating: R (strong bloody violence, language, sexual material, nudity, some drug use)
- Runtime: about 96 minutes
- Reception: Rotten Tomatoes showed roughly 30% from critics and 55% from verified audience ratings at the time of writing. Audiences also gave it a C- CinemaScore, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That gap shows how divided reactions are.
This HIM movie review is spoiler-free. It reveals nothing past the opening setup.
What Is HIM About?
The story follows Cameron Cade, a young quarterback with real talent and big ambition. His idol, legendary quarterback Isaiah White, offers to train him at an isolated compound. For an aspiring player, that is the opportunity of a lifetime.
Soon, though, the mentorship turns sinister. Intense training becomes something stranger and more dangerous. Meanwhile, the film keeps blurring the line between reality and what happens inside Cameron’s head.
That is all you need to know going in. The premise is the film’s best hook: what would a young athlete give up to become the greatest of all time?
HIM Movie Review: Does the Story Work?
This is where critics disagree most, and their complaints follow a clear pattern.
The concept beats the execution. Several critics liked the idea of turning football’s hero worship and physical toll into horror. The AP review called the premise strong but argued that the execution and narrow focus weaken the film’s message.
The plot can feel confusing or underdeveloped. Some reviewers struggled to follow the story as it escalates. They also noted that the film introduces ideas without fully exploring them. Critics felt the final act rushes, too.
Characters get less attention than imagery. The film pours its energy into atmosphere and visual style. As a result, reviewers who wanted more depth from the protagonist found it lacking, especially in a story that depends on his choices.
Still, not everyone sees this as a flaw. Viewers who like surreal horror that leaves room for interpretation may enjoy a film that refuses to explain itself. On the other hand, anyone who wants clear cause and effect is most likely to feel let down.
HIM Movie Review: How Good Are Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers?
The performances drive much of the conversation, and Marlon Wayans sits at the center of it.
Marlon Wayans as Isaiah White. Most viewers know Wayans for comedy, so this role marks a notable change of pace. Multiple reviews single out his performance, and critics often cite it among the film’s strongest elements. His character supplies the film’s menace, so much of the tension depends on how convincing he is.
Tyriq Withers as Cameron Cade. Reactions to Withers run more mixed. Some critics found the protagonist underwritten. That makes it hard to tell how much comes from the actor and how much comes from the script. The role also demands a lot physically, and the film asks Withers to carry much of its intensity.
Julia Fox plays a supporting role, but the film’s weight rests on the Wayans-Withers dynamic.
If the mentor-protégé relationship pulls you in, the performances go a long way toward covering the story’s rough edges.
Is HIM Actually Scary?
Not in the conventional sense, and critics disagree on whether that is a problem.
HIM builds horror from dread, body horror, and surreal imagery instead of jump scares. It mixes sports horror with psychological unease and supernatural elements. The training sequences turn out the most disturbing. Throughout, the film treats the athlete’s body as something to push, break, and consume.
Here is how the scares break down:
- Atmosphere: This is the film’s strongest horror asset. The compound feels isolated and wrong from early on, and Nerdist praised its unsettling mood.
- Body horror and gore: Brutal and physical, which matches the R rating for strong bloody violence. If bodily harm makes you squeamish, take note.
- Psychological discomfort: The film keeps you guessing what is real, so it creates unease more than fear.
- Jump scares and tension: The film does not focus on these. Digital Trends criticized it for lacking effective terror and leaning on symbolism instead.
Bottom line for this HIM movie review: if you want to be frightened, you may feel disappointed. If you want to be disturbed, you are more likely to get that.
What Is HIM Trying to Say?
HIM is not just football plus horror. Most of its strangeness comes from one idea: what greatness costs.
Reviewers point to a cluster of overlapping themes:
- Hero worship and fame: Cameron idolizes Isaiah, and that admiration makes him vulnerable.
- Ambition and sacrifice: The film asks how much of yourself you would give up to become the best.
- Masculinity and football culture: The story treats toughness and pain as the price of admission.
- The physical toll of the sport: Time reads the movie as a critique of how American football glorifies the damage it does to players.
The film delivers these ideas through surreal, symbolic imagery instead of direct explanation. You should not take every odd scene literally. Some events are plot, while others show Cameron’s psychological state. Separating the two is the key to making sense of it.
However, the catch matches the story criticism. The symbolism can feel heavy-handed, and the AP review argued that the narrow focus limits the commentary. The ideas deserve some thought, but not every reviewer thinks the film earns them.
HIM Movie Review Verdict: Who Is It For?
Strongest element: the premise, the atmosphere, and Marlon Wayans’ performance.
Biggest weakness: a story that can feel confusing and underdeveloped, with a rushed final act.
The viewing experience: ambitious, visually striking, and disturbing, but uneven.
You will probably enjoy HIM if you like:
- Experimental or surreal horror
- Body horror
- Sports stories with a dark angle
- Symbolic films that leave room for interpretation
You will probably feel frustrated if you want:
- A straightforward football drama
- Conventional, scare-driven horror
- A clearly explained plot and mythology
- Realistic sports storytelling
The split between critics (about 30%) and audiences (about 55%) makes sense once you look at this list. The film is not bad at everything. Instead, it targets a specific taste and does not try to please everyone else.
HIM movie review verdict: watch it if the premise grabs you and you feel comfortable with ambiguity. Skip it if you need clarity and real scares.
HIM Movie Review FAQ
Is HIM based on a true story?
No. The story is fictional. The football setting and its themes about the cost of athletic success reflect real issues in the sport, but the writers invented the events.
Is HIM connected to another movie?
No. It stands alone, not as a sequel or part of a franchise. Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions produced it, so people often compare it to his work, but the story is separate.
How long is HIM?
About 96 minutes (1 hour 36 minutes).
Is HIM appropriate for younger viewers?
No. The MPA rates it R for strong bloody violence, language, sexual material, nudity, and some drug use.
Does HIM have an alternate ending?
Yes. According to Universal’s official release information, the home-release bonus material includes an alternate ending.
Final Thoughts on This HIM Movie Review
HIM has a great idea and uneven execution. The atmosphere, the disturbing imagery, and Marlon Wayans’ performance stand out. Meanwhile, the confusing story and heavy-handed symbolism hold it back. It will not scare or satisfy everyone, but people will argue about it after the credits.
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