Him Movie 2025 Review: The Real GOAT Was Marlon Wayans All Along

by


The new movie ‘Him,’ starring Marlon Wayans and directed by Justin Tipping, is truly unique in its blend of sports and horror.

Horror films often blend with other genres. Over the past century, we’ve seen many horror-comedies, and a strong tradition of action-horror movies like *Aliens*, *Brotherhood of the Wolf*, and the *Blade*, *Hellboy*, *Predator*, and *Terminator* series. There’s also been successful mixing of horror with war films (*Blood Vessel*, *Overlord*) and even romance (*Thirst*, *Spring*, *Your Monster*).

While scary sports movies aren’t entirely new, most only briefly touch on sports or feature sports-related scares. Films like *Rollerball* have explored fictional, violent sports, and others-such as *A Nightmare on Elm Street* or *Deadly Friend*-include sports scenes or use sports equipment as props. However, *Him* stands out because it genuinely blends the sports and horror genres, creating a unique hybrid experience.

Overall, *Him* is a creative and generally successful film. Marlon Wayans delivers a fantastic performance, and the supporting cast is solid. While a few scenes are confusing and don’t quite fit, the movie ultimately works and is a commendable attempt at something different.

Marlon Wayans is the Real GOAT in ‘Him’

In the film *Him*, Marlon Wayans plays Isaiah White, a talented quarterback for the San Antonio Saviors who overcame a severe injury to become a legendary player. As he considers retirement, Isaiah takes on Cameron “Cam” Cade (Tyriq Withers), a promising but injured athlete, as his potential successor. Cam travels to Isaiah’s remote training facility to heal and prepare for his career, but soon realizes things aren’t what they seem and that danger lurks beneath the surface.

Marlon Wayans delivers a standout performance in *Him*, showcasing his impressive acting abilities. While he’s often known for comedic roles like those in the *Scary Movie* films, with occasional dramatic turns like in *Requiem for a Dream*, Wayans proves here he’s a truly talented actor. In *Him*, he’s both charming and unsettling, warm and intimidating, and capable of shifting between emotions in an instant. It’s a remarkable performance that deserves to be widely recognized and discussed.

Julia Fox, who plays Isaiah’s wife Elsie White – a character known for her strikingly bleached appearance – is a talented performer. She brings an energetic and friendly vibe to the role, but also maintains an air of mystery and otherworldliness. Her captivating and somewhat unsettling presence adds to the film’s overall strange and unique atmosphere.

Tyriq Withers plays Cam Cade, a character who’s struggling after a head injury. Cam is often confused and disconnected from his surroundings, appearing dazed, injured, or medicated. This leaves Withers with limited acting opportunities for much of the film, essentially playing a physically fit but passive character. While this isn’t necessarily a reflection of Withers’ talent, the script and direction don’t allow him to showcase his full range until a surprising conclusion. We simply don’t get to see what he’s capable of for most of the movie.

‘Him’ is a Good, But Sometimes Confusing, Journey

What makes *Him* truly effective is its ability to find horror within the world of football itself. The film cleverly taps into the intense, almost religious devotion of fans, the strange and secretive nature of modern training, and the unsettling personalities of team owners to create genuine scares. This is crucial for a horror film set in this world, and *Him* does it exceptionally well, avoiding the pitfall of simply adding horror elements onto a sports backdrop.

The film tries to show things from the main character Cam’s perspective, using fast cuts and dreamlike visuals to represent his confusion. While this is a good idea in theory, it sometimes makes the story unclear for viewers. Blurring the line between what’s real and what Cam is experiencing is a common horror technique, but it doesn’t always work, especially in the ending.

The ending is a mixed bag – great in some respects, but a little disappointing in others. While it’s entertaining and memorable, and Tyriq Withers delivers a fantastic performance, the way the story builds to it feels off. The setup suggests a completely different conclusion, and while surprising twists can be effective, some of the character decisions feel sudden and don’t quite fit with what happened before. Ultimately, the ending itself works, but the preceding events need to be better connected to it.

Overall, *Him* is a strange movie – but in a good way! It’s visually compelling and draws you in. The scary parts are cleverly connected to the world of football and mostly work really well. Marlon Wayans gives a fantastic, powerful performance. However, the film occasionally feels a bit disjointed due to its stylistic choices, and some story problems hold back what could have been a truly great performance. It’s a solid film, but falls just short of being exceptional.

Final Rating: 7/10

Him touches down in theaters September 19, 2025.

Read More

2025-09-18 08:05