Jordan Peele and Marlon Wayans’ New Horror Flops Big with Critics and Fans

Him is the latest supernatural psychological sports horror film produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, which has received a lukewarm reception from critics and audiences.

Directed by Justin Tipping and co-written by Tipping, Skip Bronkie, and Zack Akers, the movie stars Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, and Tim Heidecker.

The story follows a young football player, played by Withers, who trains under an aging quarterback, played by Wayans, at a secluded compound.

The film premiered in Mexico on September 18, and was released in the United States on September 19 by Universal Pictures. While the performances of Wayans and Withers, along with the film’s visuals, were praised, many critics found the story confusing and the ending unsatisfying.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 28% rating from 111 reviews. Audience scores were slightly higher at 59%, and CinemaScore reported a debut grade of C-. The overall response suggests that while Him had potential, it failed to fully deliver.

Critics noted that the film starts strong as a psychological thriller but loses momentum in the final act. The metaphor-heavy ending was seen as muddled, and the story struggled to balance tension, deep ideas, and visual flair. Many felt the emotions didn’t always land, making it hard for viewers to connect with the characters.

Marlon Wayans’ performance was highlighted as a strong point, bringing energy and presence to the film. Tyriq Withers also earned praise for his portrayal of the young athlete. However, the unique mix of football and a supernatural, deal-with-the-Devil storyline was overshadowed by a generic, gory finale that disappointed many fans.

Him starts as a gripping psychological thriller but loses its footing in a metaphor-heavy final act. Stunning visuals and Tyriq Withers’ performance aren’t enough to make up for a confusing & unsatisfying conclusion.

Jason Escamilla

While the premise is interesting, the story often feels confusing, and the emotions don’t always connect. The film wants to be tense, thought-provoking, and visually striking all at once, but it rarely achieves all three.

Abhishek Srivastava

Marlon Wayans’ dynamic performance is easily the highlight of Him, which otherwise never satisfactorily pays off its fun idea of mixing the world of football with a deal with the Devil horror story.

Eric Goldman

Some of what made the script interesting is still here, but it’s all largely undermined by the choice to leave sports-horror specialness behind for a typically gory finale that goes hard but is mostly generic.

Joseph Neff

[HIM] leaves no room for introspection, no room for interpretation, it simply throws a messy spiral right at the audience’s face and expects them to catch it before it destroys the bridge of their nose.

J Hurtado

Overall, Him impressed visually and benefited from strong acting, but the confusing story and uneven execution left audiences wanting more.

No guts, no glory. #HimMovie is only in theaters September 19. pic.twitter.com/L7WAZ1DHAR

— HIM (@himmovie) August 6, 2025

The movie had an interesting premise and talented actors, but it struggled to find the right balance between sports, horror, and psychological thrills. The ending, in particular, fails to fully satisfy. Do you think this movie deserved the criticism, or should it get another chance? Share your thoughts in the comments.