Him aggressively highlights the problems with America’s obsession with football and the risks involved. Tyriq Withers plays Cameron Cade, a dedicated athlete aiming for a spot in a fictional league resembling the NFL. While training alone, he’s mysteriously injured, potentially jeopardizing his career. Driven by a desire to honor his deceased, demanding father, Cade ignores the injury to pursue his dream. He eagerly accepts an invitation to train with his idol, quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), at White’s isolated desert facility.
White’s career is ending as Cade’s begins. In the desert, strange events unfold. White designs bizarre and cruel drills. Cade, experiencing odd hallucinations, finds himself at White’s mercy, merely a disposable part of the exploitative football industry dominated by white men. The film relentlessly critiques the dark side of football.
The issue with Him isn’t its subject matter. Its originality could be considered a strength, as it’s a unique horror film addressing the U.S. football system’s flaws. Early scenes show potential, depicting Cade’s upbringing where football is almost a religion. The team, the Saviors, hints at a sinister force threatening Cade. However, the film’s message becomes overly obvious, delivered bluntly. The script, by Tipping, Zack Akers, and Skip Bronkie, spells out its points explicitly. ( produced the picture.) White reveals his personal motto: “Football, Family, God,” highlighting his sinister intentions with no subtlety.
This is unfortunate because Tipping uses interesting stylistic choices, and Withers portrays Cade with appealing eagerness. Seeing him transform into an aggressive player is unsettling. When White pushes Cade to extreme violence, the film uses X-ray vision to show the vulnerability of the brain during collisions. A character states that “human skulls aren’t designed to smash into each other.” Him overemphasizes its points, both showing and telling, when one approach would suffice. It leaves viewers feeling apathetic rather than disturbed, overwhelmed by its heavy-handed message.
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