By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
JORDAN PEELE'S "HIM" EXPLORES THE DARK SIDE OF SPORTS OBSESSION
There is a lot to unpack in the
Jordan Peele-produced sports/horror movie,
"Him."
The psychological drama from director/screenwriter
Justin Tipping ("Kicks," and TV's "Flatbush Misdemeanors") and writers
Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie ("Control") is definitely an acquired taste and I certainly could have lived without all profanity.
"Him" starts out promising as it attempts to hammer home its messages about obsession, control, and the price of athletic greatness.
While
Tyriq Withers ("I Know What You Did Last Summer") is a force here,
Marlon Wayans really steals the show. He proves once again that he's not just about comedy as he's shown before in the movies "Air" and "Respect." Here, he leans fully into the dark, brooding complexity of his character Isaiah White and delivers a performance that’s equal parts chilling and magnetic.
While "Him" likely won't get a ringing endorsement from the NFL, the movie does have its moments. Wayans plays Isaiah White, a legendary quarterback for the fictional San Antonio Saviors.
Cameron "Cam" Cade (Withers) is a young football prodigy who has admired White his entire life, largely due to the influence of his now-deceased father, (Don Benjamin, "Beyond the Likes") who idolized the athlete and pushed Cam relentlessly to follow in his footsteps.
So when Cam gets the opportunity to train with White at his private, secluded compound, it feels like destiny.
But what begins as a dream scenario quickly spirals into something far more disturbing. Let's just say, that compound should have raised some red flags.
The film is drenched in religious symbolism, from the messianic way White is worshipped by fans and followers, to the cult-like rituals that unfold at his training grounds.
There's s a haunting commentary here about the way society, elevates athletes to near-godlike status, often without questioning the toll it takes on the individual behind the jersey. The film asks: what happens when the idol becomes the oppressor, and when greatness demands absolute submission?
There's also a sharp, if sometimes heavy-handed, exploration of identity, exploitation, and generational trauma. Cam is not just chasing his dreams, he’s trying to make peace with the memory of his father, while also resisting the pull of someone who is manipulating him under the guise of mentorship.
The pressure and scrutiny placed on young Black athletes--both from family and society--is palpable. "Him" doesn't shy away from showing the emotional wreckage it can leave behind.
Stylistically, "Him" is sleek and unsettling, with eerie visual cues that tip into full-on horror as the story progresses. It's easy to see Jordan Peele's fingerprints on the project from its atmospheric tension to its biting social commentary.
The film loses momentum in its final act and stumbles under the weight of its own ambition. Still, the performances from Jim Jeffries (TV's "High n' Dry") who plays Isaiah's doctor and Julia Fox ("Night Always Comes") as Isaiah's wife, and especially Wayans and Withers, keep "Him" engrossing until the bitter end.
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Go Ahead And Watch This Trailer For
"HIM"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
