The movie "Him" (2025) is a football horror film centered around Cameron Cade, a young football prodigy who is mentored by the legendary Isaiah White to become the greatest of all time (GOAT). The film explores the dark cost of ambition in professional sports, revealing sinister undercurrents such as racial exploitation, the commodification of athletes, and supernatural or demonic metaphors representing the deals players might make to achieve greatness. Cam resists becoming a puppet for wealthy team owners who profit from players' sacrifices, ultimately fighting back violently to assert his own identity. The ending emphasizes Cam's rejection of the manipulative system, contrasting with Isaiah, who embraced it and sacrificed his humanity. Critical reception of "Him" is mixed. Some praise the film's unique approach to sports horror, stylish visuals, and deep symbolic themes about the costs of success and exploitation in sports, while others find the movie confused, with weak dialogue, rushed themes, and unsatisfying execution. The film frames football as a brutal, almost ritualistic spectacle with physical and psychological horrors, including references to injuries, brain trauma, and racial dynamics in sports.
Spoiler Summary:
- Cam Cade is trained by Isaiah White, the current football GOAT, under mysterious and sinister circumstances.
- The film uses supernatural and demonic imagery to symbolize the Faustian bargains athletes might make.
- Team owners are portrayed as exploitative villains benefiting from players' physical and mental sacrifices.
- Cam ultimately refuses to become a controlled mascot and kills those who try to manipulate him, choosing his family and faith over football glory.
- Isaiah represents the tragic figure who sacrificed everything to become GOAT, while Cam breaks free from the cycle.
Review Highlights:
- Praised for its elevated horror approach and critical examination of the sports industry.
- Criticized for inconsistent tone, weak script, and unconvincing acting.
- Compared to art-horror films and body horror for its surreal and graphic depictions.
- Some reviewers find it a compelling deconstruction of ambition and sacrifice, others see it as hollow and visually excessive without narrative depth.
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