TrueStar Staff 
I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical when it came to going to see the recently released movie “HIM”. A horror centered around the game of football is a unique take and definitely something that could easily be executed wrong — which I don’t think was totally the case here.
The movie, directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele, is met with creative editing choices that include flashy cuts and sequences to showcase the mental state of Cameron Cade, our protagonist played by Tyriq Withers. Even with a run time of around an hour and a half, we get a good glimpse of Cameron’s life story and how his aspirations are based on his father’s legacy and his family’s support. The legacy of his father is what carries Cameron throughout the story and even comes full circle at the end as the truth behind his mentor is revealed. Marlon Wayans portrays Cameron’s mentor, Isaiah White, a famous football legend who is supposed to pass on the “torch” to his new mentee. Wayans does a great job at portraying this figure who has a backstory that unlocks the door to many secrets.
The cinematography and the acting are what mainly carry the movie. With all the heavy satanic imagery, the third act quickly finds itself in a heavy cult direction, which although is hinted at in the trailer, really doesn’t build up until later. It feels more like a pile on, or a “dog pile” if you will.
The dynamic between Cameron and Isaiah was incredible. Props go out to both actors, because even though there was a crazy sprint into act three of the movie, that relationship was still there. You can sense the internal conflicts of both characters because they both have something to fight for. The ending disrupts that in a few ways because the secret behind Isaiah legacy, his football team, and everything they’re involved in just seems super on-the-nose.
From the beginning, you can sense there are some evil vibes, yet most of the film makes it feel like the story is going in a different direction. Cameron is haunted with these weird visions from his injury and the incoming fame he’s expected to enter into, but honestly the story just falls flat when it comes to resolving his conflict.
Like previously stated, the film’s strength is mainly carried by its cinematography and editing, pulling it together by a thread. The amount of religious symbolism that was in the film was also a factor that shaped the impact of the story, but sort of falls off in the end. The production design was very complex, as the environment that Cameron was in influenced the way his mental state progressed during his training with Isaiah, only showing him who his idol really is.
“HIM” seemed to make an attempt at being a metaphor for something greater, but fails to do so due to the set up and resolution in the last half of the film. I believe many people thought this was very Peele-influenced going into the film, but expectations utterly fell short when it was released. That’s not to say it’s a horrible film. It definitely serves well in stunning visuals and character portrayals. But, in my opinion, “HIM” had a greater potential that it ultimately failed to achieve.
By Abraham Ortiz
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