On Monday, Sept. 22, I had the chance to see the latest Monkey Paw production in theaters, entitled “Him.” Directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele, the film stars Tyriq Withers as Cameron Cade, an on-the-rise football star who suffers a possibly career-ending injury. Cade soon turns to the guidance of legendary quarterback Marlon Wayans, who soon puts Cade through a series of trials and tests that push the newcomer to the breaking point as he questions how far he will go to become the G.O.A.T. 

As a horror fan, I found the football setting in the movie “Him” refreshingly original.It’s very rare to see horror films that revolve around sports and delve deeply into the darkest corners of the industry. Watching the trailer and seeing how much football would play a significant role in the movie had me genuinely curious. Additionally, Peele’s involvement as producer on the film was an instant draw for me, as he is one of my all-time favorite directors currently working in the industry.

So, at a 7:30 pm screening at B&B theaters, I got to see “Him”, and whilst the movie didn’t meet my full expectations, it still had enough touchdowns to where I can give it a few trophies for entertainment. Starting with the positive aspects of this movie, Tipping, as a director, has shown seeds of greatness in the film.The movie has a unique visual style that plays with colors and shots of human anatomy, particularly near the movie’s climax. It helps give the film its own distinctive visual style and flair that makes it stand out from other horror films seen this year. Speaking of visual style, I found the cinematography of this movie to be another high point. The film showcases a range of contrasting bright colors that make the sets and environments stand out, while also utilizing close-ups and long takes effectively, whether to highlight the performances or build up to a jump scare.

But by far the highlight of the movie for me was the two starring actors, Withers and Wayans. Let’s start with Wayans, who plays legendary quarterback Isiah White, the strongest aspect of the film, in my opinion. Wayans effectively combines elements of his comedic abilities from his early days in “Scary Movie” with his prestigious acting skills from “Requiem for a Dream” to create a character who is both funny, charming, and intimidating when needed. It took a while for the film to hook me on Withers. Still, once I saw him showcase his raw acting talents near the climax, I immediately became hooked on his character, Cade, and his journey at this isolated compound. The rest of the cast in this movie also does a fantastic job with their select screen time. Each actor manages to bring their own sense of comedy to the film without detracting from the horror aspects, which made it a more entertaining watch for me in the theater.

While it has many significant elements, there are still aspects that hinder the film from reaching its full potential, which leads me to my critiques of the movie. Firstly, the film is primarily driven by the themes and symbols it employs to convey some of its deeper messages, revolving around the concepts of greatness and sacrifice. There is nothing wrong with this storytelling method; however, it led to the movie’s story becoming muddled and lost in its own cinematic flair. Maybe after rewatching the film, I’ll have a better understanding of it. Still, as a cinephile who frequently attends the movies, I wish the writers had made an effort to make the story more accessible to a casual audience. I also feel that some characters had great potential to drive the motivations of our two leads, Cade and White. However, those characters don’t have a lot to do and feel underdeveloped, despite the strong performances from the actors. As a result, the motivations of both Cade and White are unclear for the first half of the movie, leaving the viewer wondering about the actions and decisions that drive them.

Overall, “Him” is an intriguing watch since the concept has a lot of potential to be an interesting and scary look into the world of sports. However, despite some strong performances, great directing, and a strong cinematic storytelling style, the film ultimately got lost in the details when it came to the symbols and messages that made the film feel confusing at times. It may not be the best horror film of the year, but “Him” definitely could end up being someone’s MVP for the 2025 horror movie season.

Edited by Stuti Khadka and Anushma Dahal