Justin Tipping’s Him (2025) prioritizes style over substance and fails to adequately explore its thought-provoking themes.
Director: Justin Tipping
Genre: Psychological Horror, Body Horror, Sports Movie
Run Time: 96′
Rated: R
Release Date: September 18, 2025
Where to Watch: In U.S. theaters, in U.K. & Irish cinemas, and globally in theatres
When I first saw the trailer for Him, I was intrigued. Surprisingly, sports horror isn’t a well-explored subgenre, and with Jordan Peele serving as producer, I had high hopes for this project. Although the film has a promising premise and some important themes at its core, concerning fame, the idolization of celebrities, and the pressure and injuries athletes endure while participating in their craft, none of these are explored effectively. Instead, the movie is far more concerned with style over substance, which ultimately undercuts Him’s intended message.
Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers, of I Know What You Did Last Summer) has been a fan of football since he was a kid. He was particularly fond of a player named Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans, of Air), who was considered the best of the best. However, due to an injury that happened live on television during a game, White had to step away from the sport. Cameron watched that game with his father, who had instilled in him from a young age that men make sacrifices to be the greatest. To be considered “Him,” i.e., the best player of all time, one has to be focused and not let anything stand in their way.
The film then fast forwards to Cameron as an adult. In the present day, he’s gained recognition for his impressive talent on the field during his college days, and with the annual Scouting Combine right around the corner, he has high hopes of being drafted. However, his world comes crashing down when he’s attacked by a crazed fan who leaves him with a head injury that could potentially ruin his career plans. Cameron is concerned about his future, that is, until he receives a phone call from Isaiah White’s team, who invite Cameron to the champion’s isolated compound to be trained by the man he has idolized since he was a child. Yet, once he arrives, all is not what it seems, and the more he spends time with Isaiah, the weirder things become.
When I left my screening of Him, I was not only extremely disappointed but also perplexed. This film had the potential to say something purposeful about the nuanced layers of toxic masculinity, hostile fanbases, and the damaging mental and physical effects that can be experienced when pushing your body to its limits. Instead, it abandons all of that and prioritizes aesthetics over any meaningful depth. Many of the quirky images we see, though visually impressive, feel randomly strung together in an attempt to overcompensate for a script that lacks insight and a story the audience can connect with. It often feels like the movie is trying to be edgy in hopes of winning over viewers, yet much of its presentation feels underdeveloped and lacking in clarity.
Horror fans will also be disappointed because, except for the film’s ending, there’s very little carnage candy on display here. Whilst a horror film doesn’t have to be stocked up with gore to be effective, this is one of those instances where the trailer takes most of the bloody elements from Him and throws them together to make the story appear more gruesome and interesting than it actually is.
When sitting down to write this review, I struggled to find many positives about Him, but I will say that Wayans gives a solid performance, and we see a side of him that we have never quite seen before. He also delivers some comedic one-liners that elicited laughs from me and the audience. It’s just a shame that this character is stuck in a story that falls short of adding any real weight to his on-screen efforts.
Overall, Him is one of the biggest horror disappointments of the year. It has great concepts, but they ultimately remain just that. The film fails to develop its ideas coherently and misses the potential to be something truly great. This is a script that definitely could have benefited from multiple rewrites.
Him (2025): Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Rising quarterback Cameron Cade has loved football since he was a child, yet right before the Scouting Combine, which could allow him to join a pro team, he suffers a brain injury caused by a crazed fan. Although his future in the sport is unclear, things turn around when he is invited to Isaiah White’s compound, to be trained by the man he’s idolized since childhood. Not long after arriving at this mysterious home in the middle of nowhere, Cameron learns that not everything is what it seems.
Pros:
- Wayans gives a solid performance, and we see a side to him we’ve never quite seen before.
Cons:
- None of the important themes the film presents are handled with care or explored effectively.
- The horror elements are minimal.
- It’s all style over substance, and the movie’s quirky imagery wears out quickly. Him feels like it’s trying too hard to be edgy and claw back some brownie points, given its script that has very little to offer.
Him (2025) will be released in U.S. theaters, in U.K. & Irish cinemas, and globally in theatres on September 18, 2025.
