There is a certain degree of body horror baked into American football that becomes readily apparent whenever players sustain gruesome, career-ending injuries on camera. For some, football's overt violence is part of its appeal, and players are seen as people who have chosen to risk their safety in pursuit of fame and glory. Over the years, the public has become much more aware of football's potential to leave players' bodies and minds irreparably damaged.
"HIM," a sports-horror thriller directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions, uses football as a vehicle to explore themes of power, obsession and mentorship gone wrong. Marlon Wayans stars as the fictional, legendary quarterback Isaiah White and former Florida State Seminole walk-on wideout Tyriq Withers brings authentic football experience to the role of his protégé, Cameron Cade. The movie pushes beyond jump scares to ask a deeper question: What happens when the pursuit of greatness turns terrifying?
The basic premise of Him is so fun that I'm half-hoping someone else takes the idea and makes a different movie out of it. An injured up-and-coming rookie football quarterback is invited to work out with a veteran championship quarterback who may or may not be on the edge of retirement. Under increasingly absurd and nightmarish circumstances, it becomes clear the veteran isn't ready to cede the stage for the younger man.