Coming Soon: Him (2025) by Justin Tipping: The High Cost of Glory

A Blood-Chilling Journey into the Dark Side of Football

Him is a psychological horror film directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions. The movie delves into the intense and often brutal world of professional football, using the sport as a backdrop for a story about ambition, fame, and the terrifying lengths one will go to achieve greatness. The film has been described as a "blood-chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, power and the pursuit of excellence at any cost," and has garnered a nomination for its exploration of these themes.

Why to Watch This Movie: A Cinematic Touchdown with a Horrific Twist

• A Unique Genre Blend: The film is a rare mix of sports and horror, providing a fresh take on both genres. It’s not a typical "feel-good" sports movie; instead, it's a tense and unsettling psychological thriller that uses the physical and mental demands of football to create a sense of terror.

• Marlon Wayans' Stellar Performance: Critics have widely praised Marlon Wayans for his dramatic turn as the aging quarterback Isaiah White, calling it his best dramatic performance since Requiem for a Dream. His portrayal is both charismatic and chilling, and he successfully carries the weight of the film.

• A Haunting Atmosphere: The movie uses striking cinematography and a disorienting, hallucinatory tone to create a suspenseful and unsettling atmosphere. The isolated desert compound and unique visual effects, like the overused but still impactful X-ray vision, add to the eerie and unsettling feel of the film.

• Thought-Provoking Themes: The film tackles complex themes like the pressures on athletes, the "cult-like" nature of football, and the sacrifices required for greatness. While some critics found the messaging heavy-handed, others appreciated the film's attempt to critique the dark side of the sport.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20990442/

Link Review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/him-marlon-wayans-film-review-2025

About movie: https://www.monkeypawproductions.com/productions/him

Release dates:

• Theatrical Release: September 19, 2025 (United States).

• Release date on streaming: There are no official streaming plans, but as an NBCUniversal film, it's expected to land on Peacock. It could be available on PVOD platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV by early to mid-October, around 30-45 days after its theatrical release.

What Trend Is Followed? Football as a Nightmare

Him is part of a growing trend of films that use a familiar setting or genre and subvert it with a psychological or horror element. The film is a prime example of a "genre bender," taking the seemingly wholesome world of sports and turning it into a nightmarish spectacle. This trend is a hallmark of Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions. Instead of traditional horror tropes, the movie relies on the psychological toll of the sport and the unsettling dynamic between mentor and protégé to generate tension.

Director's Vision: Trippy and Ambitious

• Psychological Storytelling: Director Justin Tipping, along with co-writers Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie, opts for a psychological approach to the horror, relying on mind games, gaslighting, and a surreal atmosphere rather than jump scares. The film's narrative structure is described as a "psychodrama," with a hallucinatory quality that reflects the protagonist's fragile mental state.

• Visceral and Uncomfortable Imagery: Tipping's vision includes visceral and unsettling imagery, particularly in the football scenes. The use of X-ray effects and "crunching" sound design emphasizes the physical brutality and underlying damage that the sport inflicts on the body and brain.

• Ambitious, If Flawed, Metaphors: The director and writers aimed to inject a lot of symbolic meaning into the film, including religious and cult-like imagery to represent the hero worship of football. While some critics felt the ambition outweighed the execution, the film's willingness to tackle such complex ideas is a notable part of its vision.

Themes: The Price of Being the GOAT

• Fame and Power: The film explores the dark side of fame and the immense power wielded by legendary figures. Isaiah White's charisma curdles into something darker, showing how fame can corrupt and lead to a pursuit of excellence at any cost.

• Sacrifice: A central theme is the concept of sacrifice. Cameron is repeatedly asked what he's willing to sacrifice for greatness, and the film visually and psychologically explores the brutal answers to that question.

• Body Horror and Brain Trauma: While not the main focus, the movie touches on the real-world horrors of football, particularly CTE and brain trauma. The unsettling visuals of helmets colliding and the subsequent X-ray footage underscore the physical cost of the sport.

Key Success Factors: Performances and Atmosphere

• Marlon Wayans' Performance: Wayans's career-best performance is arguably the film's strongest asset. He brings a terrifying intensity and layered depth to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional.

• The Unsettling Atmosphere: The film’s tension and unsettling tone are key to its horror. The isolated setting and the surreal, disorienting events that unfold create a constant sense of unease.

• Effective Sound and Visuals: The score by Bobby Krlic and the stylized cinematography contribute significantly to the film's atmosphere. The visual effects and editing work to keep the viewer off-balance, reflecting the protagonist's mental decline.

Awards and Nominations: A Single Nodd

The film has received 1 nomination in total, showcasing some recognition for its cinematic efforts, though specific awards were not detailed.

Critics Reception: A Fumbled Play

• The Guardian: Describes the film as a "disappointing fumble," criticizing its lack of subtlety and its failure to ground its football critique in reality. It notes the film's religious and pagan symbolism as a point of contention that might alienate its target audience.

• Associated Press: Calls the film a "fumbled potent premise," stating that while it has a decent point to make about QB hero worship, it repeats itself endlessly. The review criticizes the film for taking reality out of the equation and turning into a "haunted house" story, effectively forgetting the real world of football.

• Screen Rant: Summarizes the film as a "messy psychological sports horror" where "Marlon Wayans' performance is the only source of tension." It notes that despite great ideas and thought-provoking commentary, the film lacks cohesion and struggles to maintain its tone, feeling imbalanced and longer than its runtime.

• IGN: Finds the film "flimsy" and "barely-competent," despite a few fun visual flourishes. It states that the film fails to tip over into true horror and that its themes are "half-baked," with many symbolic elements not amounting to much beyond "fleeting texture."

Overall Summary of Critics Reception: Critics generally agree that Him is a visually striking and ambitious film with a compelling lead performance from Marlon Wayans. However, the majority of reviews found the film to be a disappointment due to a messy and overstuffed narrative, heavy-handed metaphors, and a final act that fails to land. The film's psychological and horror elements were often praised for their potential but criticized for their execution.

Movie Trend: The Jordan Peele Effect

Him is a clear follower of the cinematic trend established by producer Jordan Peele. His production company, Monkeypaw Productions, has become synonymous with elevated horror films that blend social commentary, psychological tension, and a subversion of traditional genre expectations. This film fits that mold perfectly, using the horror genre as a vehicle to critique an aspect of American culture—in this case, the brutal world of professional football.

Social Trend: The Cost of Greatness

The film taps into the social trend of examining the dark side of high-pressure industries and the immense physical and mental toll they take on individuals. It specifically focuses on the culture of professional sports, where athletes are often seen as commodities and pushed to their physical and psychological limits in the relentless pursuit of being the "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time). The film reflects a growing societal conversation about player welfare, the long-term consequences of sports injuries, and the intense hero worship that surrounds star athletes.

Final Verdict: A Film with a Powerful Performance and a Fumbled Ending

Him is a movie with a fantastic premise and a powerhouse performance from Marlon Wayans. It’s an ambitious attempt to merge psychological horror with a critique of football culture, and for a significant portion of its runtime, it succeeds in creating a tense and unsettling atmosphere. However, the film ultimately buckles under the weight of its own ambition. Its final act feels rushed and muddled, leaving too many unresolved threads and undermining the powerful build-up. While not a complete failure, Him is a disappointment for many who had high expectations, ultimately falling short of its full potential. It’s a film worth seeing for Marlon Wayans's performance and its unique concept, but viewers should be prepared for an ending that doesn't quite cross the goal line.