Him is the latest film by Jordan Peele that is set to open in U.S. cinemas today, September 19, 2025. Under the direction of Justin Tipping and produced by Peele under the Monkeypaw Productions, the movie explores the football world in a supernatural horror perspective.
Plot Overview
Him is following Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a bright college quarterback whose career is under a threat due to an attack by fans. In a bid to obtain redemption, he trains on a remote desert compound under the guidance of his hero, a former NFL star Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). But the training does not go as smoothly as that, putting the ambitions of Cade and his morals to the test.
Critical Reception
The movie has both positive and negative reception. Some critics also love its chic direction and thematic ambition but others feel it lacked in execution. The Guardian calls it a disappointing fumble, stating that the film is too hyperbolic in its premises and has too much religious allegory, which can make the viewer turn their back on it. Likewise, the Houston Chronicle states that the movie has no real scares and provides a dissatisfying resolution, although it is directed in a fashionable way and has a fascinating structure.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Him has a current critic score of 32% which shows that it received a rather negative reception.
Box Office Expectations
Regardless of the mixed reviews, the movie will bring good results in the box office. The theaters are estimated to number between 3,000 and 3,100 theaters with an estimated opening of 15 to 18 million dollars.
Where to Watch
He is playing exclusively in the United States theaters at the moment. No data exists as of now on its availability on streaming services.
Themes and Allegory
One of the inspirations that Him relates to is the Faustian bargain, a literary device in which people sacrifice their soul to power or fortune. The movie examines how one can be ambitious, sacrifice, and even pay the price of being famous in the highly competitive environment of professional sports. Director Justin Tipping confirms the fact that the movie is full of literary and horror allusions, with old allegories and new sporting slang, such as I’m Him, a term that signifies greatness, hints at the references to the images of Satan. The movie is part of a long tradition of Hollywood versions of the Faust legend and it represents a discussion about ambition, temptation, and the spiritual price of success.
Performances
Marlon Wayans effectively portrays the role of Isaiah White and conveys the charisma of the character as well as the hidden threat. Tyriq Withers plays Cameron Cade with a lot of intensity that helps to bring out the inner struggle by the character. The ensemble cast of the film is further enhanced with the assistance of Tim Heideker and Jim Jefferies.
Direction and Cinematography.
The direction of the film by Justin Tipping is presented visually spectacular and has smooth digital camera work and a tensed electronic score that increases the horror in the film. The movie is an abandonment of the conventional sports-movie interest in competitive matches in favor of something more surreal and psychological. Nonetheless, critics claim that too dramatic premises and religious allegory in the film could drive away viewers.
Conclusion:
Him tries to combine psychological horror, sport drama, and literary allegory. The central character of the film is a person named Cameron Cade who puts his life into football to demonstrate that he can be a great player and this makes him enter an insane and ethically questionable training program with the mysterious Isaiah White. Although the idea is interesting, the mixture of the Faustian bargain and contemporary sports culture, the performance in question loses out on a coherent tone.
The acting, especially of Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers, is a good feature, with a sense of depth and tension to the plot. The fact that Wayans has created a charismatic and threatening mentor is a bonus to the oft-chewed theme, and Withers plays the role of a young athlete torn between ambition, identity and morality in a convincing manner. The supporting acts are good but certain characters lack development and certain threads of the story remain unanswered.
The vision by director Justin Tipping is quite striking visually and makes the horror components more striking with the smooth cinematography and tensed electronic score. Nonetheless, the excessive use of allegory, surrealistic visuals, and religious implications of the film may turn off viewers who would have wanted a straightforward horror or sports story. Critics also maintain that the thematic aspiration can at times supplant emotional appeal resulting in a feeling of style over substance.
Critically, Him has not been well reviewed. The film is being acclaimed as a fresh and ambitious one, but being criticized due to the lack of unity in the storyline, tension, and emotional satisfaction. This is now indicated by Rotten Tomatoes through a 3032% score amongst critics. Nonetheless, there is moderate commercial success according to the projections of box offices, which points to the interest of the audience and the ability to be attracted by the influence of Jordan Peele on the production.
Overall: Him is a stylistically sharp, conceptually daring movie that touches on the theme of ambition, morality, and the price of fame. It excels in acting and design but fails in the speed, clarity of the story, and emotional appeal. It can be very appealing to the viewers who want a cerebral, allegorical horror experience but disappointing to the ones who expect a sports drama or a mainstream horror. The movie is finally a guinea pig melding experiment that generates a debate rather than providing classical thrills.
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