Is ‘Him’ the Most Divisive Movie of the Year?

The new football horror movie Him is out now, and while some think it’s just about the sport, that couldn’t be further from reality. Over its hour-and-a-half runtime, the film follows rising football star Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), who gets the chance to train at his idol Isaiah White’s (Marlon Wayans) compound. What begins as a dream quickly curdles into a nightmare, as the movie peels back the dark nature of becoming the GOAT with creepy camerawork and a slow-building sense of dread.

But as with most Jordan Peele-adjacent projects (this one is directed by Justin Tipping, though it was marketed with Peele’s stamp), audiences are deeply divided.

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Online, the discourse has taken on a life of its own, with people spinning out elaborate theories about what the film’s imagery really means: theorizing that White’s compound is a metaphor for the NFL machine, analyzing recurring shots of goat-shaped helmets, fire, and mirrors, and so on. Fans have turned Him into a kind of Rorschach test. In essence, it’s become less about whether the movie is “good” or “bad” and more about decoding its images, themes, and dialogue. Every frame is up for interpretation, and everyone seems convinced they’ve cracked the code.

Supporters argue Him offers a sharp and timely critique of football culture, toxic masculinity, and the gladiator-like demands placed on young athletes.

“The movie was not bad it was pretty good… would say it’s more of a psychological thriller than a horror/scary movie,” one TikTok user said.

Another fan noted: “The movie was definitely a fun watch and it feels more like a cult classic—like if you get it, you get it. If you don’t, you don’t.”

“I loved it. It doesn’t deserve below 50% imo," TikTok user @jetpackdinosaur said in praise of its craftsmanship. "The cinematography and performances alone—on top of the commentary on race and masculinity.”

Critics, however, argue the film collapses under its own weight. Complaints range from messy storytelling to heavy-handed metaphors that don’t add up to much.

“Over saturation of symbolism in the movie that ultimately conveyed something very simple, so ultimately you didn’t need that much symbolism cus it wasn’t leading the viewer to any crazy revelation and opening up our third eye. No, it was something that we already knew,” TikTok creator @bigswave said bluntly. “They focused so much on the symbolism they forgot to make us care about the characters.”

Others dismissed it as little more than a “dumb scary movie” riddled with plot holes.

“I don’t think they did themselves any favors marketing it as a Jordan Peele movie ft. Director Justin Tipping," as one person put it.

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For Marlon Wayans, whose resume mostly includes comedies, Him was a rare dramatic pivot. While the film itself has polarized critics, his performance has been singled out as a highlight. Over the weekend, Wayans posted a carousel of Rotten Tomatoes scores from his past projects, defending both the film and his creative choices.

“Just to be clear… I respect critics. Their job is to Critique. I respect their work. It shapes our industry. But an opinion does not always mean it’s everyone’s opinion,” he wrote. “Some movies are ahead of the curve. Innovation is not always embraced and art is to be interpreted and it’s subjective.”

He continued: “I’ve had a career of making classic movies that weren’t critically received and those movies went on to be CLASSICS. So don’t take anyone’s opinion—just go see for yourself. Love to all. Him in theaters now.”

Love it or hate it, Him has sparked a conversation that’s inescapable. And maybe that’s the real making of a modern cult classic.

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