Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions is the go-to destination for horror movies that seamlessly blend everyday topics with twisted, innovative nightmare fuel. Apart from its action and comedy films, movies like Us, Candyman, and Nope demonstrate that horror can genuinely be an art form while making a commentary on our society. Justin Tipping’s Him takes that notion and runs with it. The sophomore feature from the filmmaker does well in showcasing the psychological torture of our protagonist in visually stunning ways. However, it’s in the last fifteen minutes where Him almost entirely s**ts the bed.
Him, directed by Tipping and co-written by Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers, features an up-and-coming football player played by Tyriq Withers (Cameron Cade). Cade is seen as the next talented quarterback in the movie’s Major Football League and is possibly set to replace its soon-to-be-retired QB, Isaiah White, played by Marlon Wayans. White invites Cade to his isolated training compound in hopes of preparing the young star for the big leagues and possibly breaking his soul.
Now, if you think that sounds demented, you’d be right.
The one thing that Tipping should be applauded for is his visual style for Him. The director gives the movie an authentic, stylish look at the horrors of training camps. It’s a mixture of brutal fashion when the director emphasizes the colors and lighting with the cinematography. Cinematographer Kira Kelly, whose previous work includes Marvel’s Echo and Y: The Last Man, works in perfect connection with Tipping to make the colors and dark tones pop.
The two’s use of those tones and close-quarter blocking really gave me a true sense of isolation. They continue this color coordination trend when certain scenes of heightened intensity are needed. Those moments are pushed to another level with the sound design of Him. Tipping’s amplification of the sound design’s bass caused me uneasiness when matching Cade’s scenes. That technique allowed a more immersive experience with the film.
The script by Bronkie, Akers, and Tipping is generally well-written. The trio makes a commentary on football culture and cult-like status within it. The film plays it in a way that is emphasized through the Isaiah character: “Football. Family. God.” Those words ring true through Him, mirroring how people treat the sport to this day. Another part of the script that highlights the obsession with “perfectionism.” White and Cade push their bodies to the limit in a horrifying fashion, aware that one must dominate the other to come out on top. That type of back and forth leans into some of the stellar performances in Him.
Withers does a decent job in the acting department for most of the movie. Yet, it’s the third act when the actor really kicks it up. The movie’s fierce underlying message comes to the fore at the beginning of the latter part of the film and allows Withers to go all out. Yet, Wayans had already beaten Withers long before that.
Wayans has been primarily known as a comedian and a comedy actor. I’ve always championed Wayans’ acting, particularly in his emotional moments in 1997’s The Sixth Man and when they were cemented in 2000’s Requiem for a Dream. In Him, he goes all out. The actor becomes the MVP of the movie because of the dark approach to the character. There are moments where I felt that Wayans was genuinely playing mind games during his scenes. I would even call his performance akin to Heath Ledger’s version of The Joker.
It’s Wayan’s acting that really brings Him to another level with its psychological and body horror elements.
Although the film works for the most part, it’s the last part of Him that trips the movie up from a high score. The direction from Tipping goes too far with excessive cuts, overly bright lighting in certain X-ray shots, and an absurdly supernatural component added. The movie focuses hard on psychological and body horror that was perfectly working on its own. In contrast, the mystical part seems to emerge out of nowhere and raises more questions than it has time to answer.
It’s as if the writing was asking me to put a pause on that in hopes that the film would get a sequel or prequel. It’s a serious bump in Him that almost ruins the movie.
Tipping’s Him is an excellent addition to Monkeypaw Productions’ already impressive filmography. I was in 100% on the film for the most part and wish the tale end of the third act could’ve gotten one more rewrite. Think of the movie as a cross between 2010’s Black Swan and 2014’s Ex Machina, with football sprinkled in. You’ll do fine if that mixture is your jam, but just be prepared for a possible headache near the end.