Him
Starring Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans
MA15+
3.75/5
At just 96 minutes, Him is a swift, unsettling psychological horror film that doesn’t overstay its welcome, though the themes and broader plot details need more attention.
Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a rising football star, agrees to a week-long stay at the estate of legendary quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), unaware of the nightmare that awaits him.
Him’s heavy tension runs on a current of ruthless training and Isaiah’s increasingly unhinged guidance (plus generic but decently-executed medical intrigue), steadily building from intense unease to a gory showdown.
The stunning cinematography captures vast rooms that feel both wide and stifling, and one very cool artistic choice involves Mortal Kombat-style X-ray shots that are quickly drenched with black blood to symbolise Cameron’s in-the-moment rage.
Wayans has a commanding, chilling presence as Isaiah, but his co-lead is less interesting; Withers excels with Cameron’s physicality but often has a flat, deer-in-the-headlights demeanour.
The commentary on ambition and hunger for victory turning us into monsters is surface-level, with some clumsy allusions to Jesus’s sacrifice, and Cameron’s relationship with his father is breezed over.
Even with such an engrossing middle, Him has some pacing issues: the plot kicks off with a redundant head injury, with hollow warnings about how another blow could kill Cameron, and the grisly final act (while enjoyably over-the-top) feels rushed.
Playing in most Victorian cinemas, Him is a disturbing, well-produced horror movie with a somewhat bland lead and lightweight themes, but if all you want is Suspiria (Dario Argento’s 1977 horror film about a dance academy) but for football, Him will leave you satisfied.
