‘Him’ Review: A Look Into the Backrooms of Football

“What are you willing to sacrifice?”

“Everything!”

Though visually appealing and innovative, writer and director Justin Tipping’s “Him” sacrifices intricacy as it tries to do a little bit of everything, leaving the new release unfocused and rough around the edges.

“Him” follows star college quarterback Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) as he makes a bid for the USFF, the film’s version of the NFL, intent on following the footsteps of his longtime inspiration, legendary quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). After a traumatic head injury takes him out of the scouting combine, he is given another opportunity at the league by completing a week-long bootcamp with White. Little does he know, there are darker pathways to success than running drills.

The film opens on a young Cade and his family watching White succumb to a career-altering injury while scoring a game winning touchdown for his USFF team, The Saviors. Immediately, candles, crosses, and Christian symbols establish the importance of religion in Cade’s family. Once White enters the endzone, the candles go out. Cade watches White’s fractured leg dangle as his father’s cross chain hangs in front of his face.

Unfortunately, this opening sequence does a little too well in establishing the film’s protagonist and antagonist. The religious symbolism surrounding Cameron and his family being disturbed by White feels obvious and leaves little opportunity for the story’s conflict to be discovered. This is a problem that reoccurs during the film: The twists in plot and revelations of antagonistic characters lack shock factor because of overt symbolism and foreshadowing. In parts of the film, characters’ dialogue attempt to subvert suspicions, but their guilt is so conspicuous that the words seem out of place.

This is not to say there was no subtle imagery. The set design in the film can only be described as crisp. Production designer Jordan Ferrer introduces sleek dark buildings and interiors that stand out against the dry and desolate desert landscape. Grandiose wide-shots present an unsettling environment which mirrors the unsettling events of the film. To highlight the physical changes in each character, cinematographer Kira Kelly and editor Taylor Joy Mason incorporate X-ray and intravenous visuals, in an innovative nod to body horror. Costume designer Dominique Dawson does brilliantly to incorporate devilish insignia within the Saviors players’ jerseys, creating a beautiful visual juxtaposition.

Religious allusions follow the main characters Cade and White throughout the film through cross earrings, chains, and of course, the team name, The Saviors. Throughout the film, Kira Kelly masterfully uses light to establish Cade as a Christ-like figure, surrounding him with golden light in contrast to the film's antagonist. In a particularly beautiful moment, Cade is seated at the center of a long table with golden halo lights above him while twelve reporters sit around him, emulating Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, “The Last Supper.”

Though visually presented, Cade’s Christ-like, golden child characterization is weak. Cade lacks traits that place him on a moral ground much higher than the average person other than refraining from cheating on his girlfriend and being disturbed by casual torture and murder, as one would be. In fact, given his intelligence and perceived religiosity, he is surprisingly compliant with the disturbing activity around him. When White and his doctor engage in unorthodox medical practices, he expresses confusion and discomfort, but never truly resists. Throughout the film, his character feels like a napkin floating in the wind. This makes his final stand feel abrupt and somewhat unsupported. At the end of the film, Cade’s emotions are enigmatic because there was never a strong sense of his boundaries or desires beyond being a great USFF player.

Characterization is a struggle across many characters. Besides White’s trusted doctor, most secondary characters are not well incorporated, making threats against them in the film unmoving. Primary characters like White and his wife Elsie (Julia Fox), who rises in prominence throughout the film, have confounding dynamics with football and each other. First, White’s determination to continue playing and obsession with football seems completely self-inspired. Elsie at first seems to live in her own world with her own aspirations, using her WAG status to launch her own peculiar ventures. By the end of the film, Elsie appears to be the mastermind behind the conflict of the film while White’s role becomes ambiguous, a striking change that is poorly, if at all, developed across the film.

The film attempts commentary that criticizes team owners and exploitative agents through depiction of the Saviors’ owners and Cade’s agent. Unfortunately, their malice is not well intertwined throughout the film, making their role in its conflict feel like an afterthought.

Despite faults in the material, Wayans and Withers give standout performances. Both beautifully capture the intensity and determination it takes to play football at a professional level. Both deliver dynamic monologues throughout the film that highlight their range as actors.

Though a visually satisfying film with brilliant performances, “Him” suffers from a lack of detail. In trying to accomplish too many things, the film fails to add depth to its characters and confuses their motives. Finally, it underestimates the audience’s ability to catch on to subtle hints, making its twists and turns underwhelming and harming its ability to succeed as a horror film.

—Staff writer Dzifa A. Ackuayi can be reached at dzifa.ackuayi@thecrimson.com.