Him

By

Him

Him
Him

Quick Facts & Context.

Given its hybrid identity — part sports film, part horror/thriller — Him tries to occupy a niche that is both niche and risky: the domestic-sports mythos meets psychological and supernatural horror.

Cast & “Means Character”.

Major Cast

Based on publicly listed credits, major cast members include:

  • Marlon Wayans as Isaiah White (a legendary quarterback)
  • Tyriq Withers as Cameron “Cam” Cade (a young up-and-coming football player
  • Julia Fox as Elsie White (Isaiah’s social-influencer wife)
  • Tim Heidecker as Tom (Cam’s manager)
  • Jim Jefferies as Marco (Isaiah’s doctor)
  • Additional cast: Maurice Greene, Indira G. Wilson, Guapdad 4000, Naomi Grossman, etc.

Thus in the key billing there are roughly 6-8 big names, plus a supporting ensemble of other players. The full cast is larger when including minor characters.

Means Character / Narrative Anchor.

Who is the “means character” — the main viewpoint through which we experience the film, whose arc drives the story? In Him, that role belongs to Cam Cade (Tyriq Withers). Although Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans) looms large as mentor, star and menacing figure, the film follows Cam’s journey: his push for greatness, his vulnerability, his initiation into a strange “training compound,” his moral and physical descent. Cam is our emotional lens — what he sees, does, fears and becomes shape the film’s core. The film also uses Isaiah as an antagonist or dark mirror, but Cam remains the means character — the viewer’s surrogate.

Box Office Performance.

Here are the key numbers and how the film fared commercially:

  • Budget: ~$27 million.
  • Worldwide (reported) gross: ~$27.6 million according to The-Numbers.
  • Domestic (U.S.) box office: ~$24.94 million.
  • International box office: ~$2.63 million.
  • Opening weekend U.S.: ~ $13.5 million, below studio expectations (~$18M).
  • The film is widely regarded as under-performing, given the budget and marketing expectations.

In short: Him did not break out as a hit. With its budget of $27 million, a worldwide gross of about $27.6 million leaves little margin for profit after marketing/distribution costs — meaning the film likely struggled to recoup in theatrical terms.

Him {Movie}

Niche, Tone & Thematic Domain.

Genre / Niche

Him inhabits a hybrid genre: sports horror / psychological thriller. It uses the framework of American football — the training, the rising star, the legacy athlete — and introduces supernatural or cult-horror elements. The tagline and promotional angle emphasise “greatness demands sacrifice” and “fame at any cost” blended with occult undertones.

By merging sports myth with horror’s dread, the film aims to subvert the celebratory sports-movie genre (underdog triumph, etc.) and instead depict the dark underside: obsession, injury, exploitation, cultish devotion. That makes it niche: not just a horror film, not just a sports drama, but a commentary on sports culture through horror tropes.

Tone & Themes

The tone is eerie, brooding, often surreal. The film uses a desert compound, isolated training, weird rituals, and a charismatic star athlete who may be predatory. Critics note the film intended to critique American football’s culture of pain, sacrifice, and idol worship.

Key themes include:

  • Idolatry & legacy: Isaiah White is treated as a god-figure; the training compound almost cult-like. Cam is drawn into that orbit.
  • Sacrifice & bodily cost: Football’s physical toll becomes metaphoric horror. Injury, brain trauma, devotion.
  • Mentorship vs manipulation: The mentor role (Isaiah) slides into domination and control. The protégé (Cam) faces choices.
  • Fame, performance, identity: Cam’s identity is wrapped up in being “the next great” and the film deconstructs that.
  • Cult/ritual & sport as religion: The narrative links sports fandom to cultish rituals, blood sports, sacrifice. The Guardian review notes the film’s “pagan religion” of football metaphor.

Thus the niche is a horror film with sports trappings, appealing to audiences who like psychological/genre fusion rather than pure slasher or straightforward sports drama.

Deep Narrative & Analysis.

Here’s a more detailed look at how the story unfolds, what it tries to achieve, and how successful it is (with some spoilers):

Setup

We meet Cam Cade, a promising young quarterback with a lot riding on his upcoming Combine and professional prospects. His father pushed him; his identity is wrapped in football. When Cam’s path intersects with Isaiah White — legendary quarterback for the “San Antonio Saviors” — Cam is invited to train at Isaiah’s isolated desert compound with the promise of elite mentorship. But from the onset the environment is strange: the compound is secluded, the training intense, the rituals odd. (Premise summary from IMDb and letters).

Middle/Descent

As Cam trains harder, the film shifts from sports drama to psychological horror. Isaiah’s charisma grows less benign; his wife Elsie (Julia Fox) inhabits influencer-culture trappings but there’s something off. Training sessions veer into cult territory: hymns, blood, sacrifice, chants referencing “GOAT” (greatest of all time) and even religious iconography. Cam’s body starts showing the cost: trauma, confusion, moral conflict. The film uses the football setting to explore body horror and existential dread. One reviewer noted how the ending “curdles” the mentor-protégé dynamic.

Climax & Ending

In the climax Cam realizes that Isaiah is more predator than mentor; the compound hides a dark secret — perhaps a cult-like devotion to sport (and to Isaiah) that forces Cam to pay the ultimate price. There is a scene (reported) where Cam is held physically/body modified or symbolically sacrificed. The film ends with a bitter recognition: greatness was never free; the cost was too high. As the Time article states: “Cameron Cade… descends into a world of terror… the inner sanctum of fame, power and pursuit of excellence at any cost.”

What Works

  • Visually, the film has strong moments: the isolated compound, the rituals, the contrast of glamour (celebrity athlete) and horror. Many reviews praise Marlon Wayans in a more intense role.
  • The concept is interesting: sports are rarely the setting for horror; the idea of mounting pressure on young athletes mapped onto cult horror is potentially rich.
  • The critique of athletic culture, idolatry, bodily sacrifice and commodification of sports talent gives the film some thematic weight.

What Falls Short

  • Many critics say the film lacks coherence: the horror, the sports drama and the cult elements don’t blend perfectly. The Guardian said it “stumbles in execution.”
  • Box office under-performance suggests the concept didn’t click with mainstream audiences; negative word-of-mouth reported.
  • Some viewers found the ending unsatisfying or the allegory too heavy-handed (sports as pagan religion) without enough narrative payoff.

Why This Film Matters & Who Should Watch.

Him matters because it tries something different: it uses sport — one of the most American of cultural institutions — as a site for horror, ritual sacrifice, identity and fear. In a year where many horror films repeat formulas, Him attempted a crossover approach (sports + horror). That alone makes it noteworthy.

For watchers, if you enjoy:

  • Horror with psychological/cult undertones (rather than pure jump scares)
  • Sports movies that subvert rather than celebrate
  • Films that probe identity, performance, body horror
    then Him may interest you.

However, if you prefer clean genre boundaries (just sports drama or just horror) or want a feel-good film, this might feel mismatched or uneven.

In the streaming era, Him could find a second life: smaller theatrical gross doesn’t necessarily determine long-term cultural footprint. It may become a cult item for horror/sports nerds.

Final Verdict.

Him is ambitious, if uneven. It asks big questions: what does greatness cost? How many bodies lie beneath the trophies? What happens when an athlete worships his own myth? It deserves credit for that ambition. But as a piece of entertainment, it stumbles: tonal shifts, incoherent narrative parts, and disappointing box office performance hamper its impact.

Cam Cade’s arc — from promising athlete to trapped performer — is compelling. Marlon Wayans’ turn as Isaiah White is bold. The visual and thematic choices are brave. But the result is a film that lingers uncomfortably in the space between sports movie and horror, never fully excelling at either.

If you watch Him, go in expecting discomfort, reflection and a willingness to let sport = sacrifice become literal. Don’t expect a triumphant underdog tale. Expect something darker and ask: what do we do with the “greatest of all time” when greatness is a demand rather than a gift?

In short, Him may not have “won the championship,” but it took the field. It will interest viewers who want genre hybrids that challenge rather than comfort.

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