Rating: 1/5
“Him,” portrays the struggles of a rising football star, but satanic. Directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele, “Him” can only be watched once, and not because of a major plot twist that could change one’s entire view on the movie, but because it is a plain waste of time.
The story begins with a young Cameron Cade — played by Austin Pulliam — watching his favorite football team, the San Antonio Saviors, win the league championship. While everyone celebrates the win, Cade is saddened by the sudden career-ending injury of his idol, Savior’s quarterback Isaiah White — played by Marlon Wayans. The injury White sustains while scoring a touchdown leads Cade’s father to advise him, “No guts, no glory.”
Tyriq Withers now plays an older Cade, a rising football player who is encouraged by his family to train for the league combine. As he practices, he is suddenly attacked by someone in a goat costume, causing a severe head injury. Overstimulated due to the concussion, Cam becomes discouraged and no longer pursues practicing for the combine. Tom, his agent, tells him Isaiah White is considering retirement and is willing to train Cameron on a brutalist-styled deserted compound to see if Cameron is worthy to be the Saviors’ next QB.
The beginning is slow, but the pacing of the story is rapid. The combination of slow and quick pacing throughout the film causes the viewers to be overwhelmed by the number of events happening all at once. Body horror and religious motifs try desperately to make the movie a serious, psychological picture, yet the execution simply made it dull and, at times, laughable.
Although the movie is poorly executed, Marlon Wayans’ acting may be the only thing worth watching out of this lackluster film. Wayans’ acting range highlights every film he is in, including this one. The sudden disparate emotions he portrayed in this deranged character not only showed how good an actor he is, but also how a movie can still have the chance of being saved by its actors. Yet, in “Him’s” case, its flaws outweigh Wayan’s outstanding acting.
The film is mere eye candy. Rich colors and an interesting premise lure the viewers to open an ostentatious empty box. The story sells a movie about pursuing greatness, yet it lacks the idea that it preaches.
