October is quickly approaching, which means we can expect plenty of spooky offerings to hit the 2025 movie calendar. We’ve already feasted this year on films like Sinners, The Monkey and Weapons, and next on the list of upcoming horror movies is HIM. Coming from Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, this falls into the too-rare-for-my-liking subgenre of sports horror, and the critics are here to share their thoughts ahead of its release.
The story is centered around up-and-coming football player Cam Cade (Tyriq Withers, who also starred in this year’s I Know What You Did Last Summer), who goes to train at the isolated compound of football legend Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). In CinemaBlend’s review of HIM, Eric Eisenberg says there are a lot of great ideas, and the style is fascinating, but it lacks substance overall. He rates it 2.5 out of 5 stars, writing:
David Ehrlich of IndieWire gives it a C-, calling HIM one fumble after another. The critic says writer/director Justin Tipping wants “all of the glory of a championship season without so much as breaking a sweat.” Ehrlich continues:
William Bibbiani of The Wrap agrees, saying that Marlon Wayans’ performance could have saved this movie if the screenplay were half as clever as it thinks it is. Instead, what we get is boring and predictable, the critic says, writing:
Siddhant Adlakha of IGN also praises Marlon Wayans but writes that ultimately, HIM is a “disappointingly scattered attempt at social horror.” Adlahka rates this one a “Bad” 4 out of 10 and says:
Kristy Puchko of Mashable says HIM is a mixed bag that fumbles its finish with an “infuriatingly anti-climactic” final showdown. However, it does offer rich performances, unnerving scares and some food for thought in terms of sports, race, religion, and masculinity. Also, Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers are a “sensational team,” Puchko says. In her words:
While HIM leaves many critics wanting, the fault seems to lie with the script, rather than the performances. The Jordan Peele-produced flick may have garnered lower scores — 32% so far from 34 critics on Rotten Tomatoes — but it sounds like there’s still plenty to like, if more sports horror is what the team doctor ordered.
If you want to check this one out, HIM hits theaters on Friday, September 19.