Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) is a quarterback on the rise when his career is jeopardised after being attacked by an unhinged fan. Doubting that he’ll ever be able to reach his potential, Cam receives an invitation from his idol Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) who offers to train him. Arriving at Isaiah’s isolated home in the desert, Cam is put through a series of increasingly disturbing challenges and he begins to question how much he’s willing to sacrifice to achieve his dreams.
‘HIM’ is produced by Jordan Peele (‘Get Out’) so it’s fair to say that expectations were high for the film. Despite an intriguing marketing campaign, film goers didn’t turn out at the box office for the film and it underperformed commercially. Now ‘HIM’ is available on home entertainment formats and the film has another chance to capture the attention of audiences? With horror films having a bit of a lull, and elevated horror starting to feel a bit stale, has ‘HIM’ been a victim of poor timing?
The film is essentially a cautionary tale about meeting your idols and the lengths people will go to in order to achieve their dreams. When we first meet Cam, he has the whole world at his feet after dedicating his life to football training with the support of his family, including his late father, and his girlfriend. His attack at the hands of a maniac in a goat costume throws his world into chaos and he’s told that if he sustains another injury he could end up with permanent brain damage. Cam is forced to weigh up the risks against achieving his dreams, and when his idol Isaiah reaches out, the offer is too good to turn down.
Once Cam is in Isaiah’s orbit, things start to get weird. Initially Cam is starstruck at being so close to his hero, but soon Isaiah’s training methods become alarming. Cam also starts behaving in a way that isn’t true to his character, making him question his life and his choices. What’s actually going on I won’t divulge in this review so as not to spoil anything, but suffice to say if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. ‘HIM’ hurtles towards a violent conclusion that isn’t quite the satisfying payoff that you’ve been waiting for.
Part of the film’s problem is that its central idea is one that has been done to death, and ‘HIM’ doesn’t have anything new to add. Cam is a somewhat sympathetic character, but the audience will find it hard to stay on his side as the film progresses. As this is elevated horror, there’s plenty of creepy moments and downright weirdness, but they never really come together to create a cohesive plot that you can believe. Things get very silly, very quickly and the wheels start to come off around the midway point.
None of the film’s flaws can be laid at the feet of its two lead actors though. Marlon Wayans gives a chilling performance, and it’s nice to see him doing something that isn’t the comedy he’s known for. Wayans shows he has range and he’s compelling. The star of the show though is Tyriq Withers, who was part of the cast of last year’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ reboot. Withers is destined to be a big star and this film showcases his range. There’s more to the actor than just his good looks, and he’s the reason you’ll stick with the film until the closing credits. As Cam, he delivers a nuanced performance that sees him swing from cocky football star to a man on the brink of losing his sanity.
Extras on the Blu-ray release of ‘HIM’ include an alternate ending and a deleted end credit scene.
‘HIM’ doesn’t live up to its potential and it’s too content delivering weird and wonderful moments, rather than a truly cohesive and engaging story. There are elements of the film that work but overall, it’s a bit too messy and takes a little too long to get going. The climax is bonkers and logic disappears somewhere in the middle of the film, but even the craziness isn’t enough to make this truly memorable. It’s worth watching for Tyriq Withers though, so you can tell everyone you saw him first when he blows up.
Cast: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tom Heidecker Director: Justin Tipping Writers: Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, Justin Tipping Certificate: 18 Duration: 96 mins Released by: Universal Pictures Release date: 5th January 2026 Buy ‘HIM’ now
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