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Maybe it wasn’t the best idea for a horror film about football to come out right as the NFL season got started. That may be one of the reasons why the Marlon Wayans movie Him has struggled in its initial release. The film has a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics nationwide, with a slightly higher 58% rating from those who saw it in theaters.
Directed and co-written by Justin Tipping of Kicks fame, Him was executive produced by Jordan Peele. The movie explores the violent world of professional football, with Wayans playing a quarterback nearing retirement who runs a football training facility. Newcomer Tyriq Withers (2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer) plays Cameron “Cam” Cade, who heads to the facility to help his chances at the upcoming football combine. Predictably, all goes left once he gets there.
Korey Coleman of Double Toasted said that Wayans was good, but the film, not so much.
“Marlon Wayans’ performance is incredible. However, the film is so wrapped up in the visuals that it doesn’t concentrate on the script or the characters,” Coleman wrote.
Another reviewer, Brandon Avery, said, “Your worst nightmare on the big screen. Awful doesn’t begin to describe it.”
Katie Walsh of Tribune News Service, designated as a top critic by Rotten Tomatoes, wrote, “As a purely sensorial experience of sound and image, it’s sensational. As a searing examination of the body horrors of football, fandom, and fame, it’s weak.”
Wayans says that he wants his fans to make their own decisions and not be swayed by the bad reviews.
“Just to be clear… I respect critics,” Wayans posted on his Instagram account. “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. Some movies are ahead of the curve. Innovation is not always embraced, and art is to be interpreted, and it’s subjective.”
The star 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.”
Wayans referenced his 2004 movie White Chicks as an example. It’s now considered a cult classic, but initially received a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. He made similar points about his other films, Don’t Be a Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Gin and Juice In The Hood and Scary Movie 2.
In all fairness, though, comedy films don’t have to do much. If they’re funny, that’s enough. But according to critics, Him was seeking a higher level that didn’t quite match up to the attempt. Some critics did praise the film while acknowledging its flaws.
Wayans has made it clear that he’s interested in more dramatic roles to expand on his repertoire. While he’s rightly best known for his comedic chops, Wayans wants to be just as respected for his work in other genres. He’s looking for a Jamie Foxx-like career trajectory, where Foxx has been recognized at the highest level as an Oscar winner and nominee for his roles as Ray Charles in the biopic and in Collateral with Tom Cruise.
Him is in theaters now. See how social media is feeling about the film below.
