Plot: What’s it about?
Football movies will likely never go out of style. Neither will horror. Has there ever been a horror-based football movie? How about a horrible football movie? Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Kidding aside, though, I remember watching Concussion several yeas ago and a line in that film resonated with me: “The NFL owns a day of the week.” It’s correct. Since then we now have NFL games on Monday, Thursday and Sunday. Do we love football that much? Evidently so. Adding to the allure of that, we’re also obsessed with those that play the game with such relative ease that they make it look easy. We call those G.O.A.T.’s. Well, I don’t as I find the acronym annoying, but if you’re truly the “Greatest of All-Time” I suppose you’re fitting of that moniker. At any rate, we’ve now got Him – a movie that’s not quite sure what it’s trying to be and one that had me scratching my head if I should be scared or grab a beer and act like I’m watching a game. There’s Jordan Peele’s fingerprints on this (he served as a producer), but it’s not a Jordan Peele movie. That’ll deter some folks.
Isiah White (Marlon Wayans) is perhaps the most successful quarterback of the San Antonio Saviors. They’ve won 8 championships (I’m not sure if they’re allowed to use the word “Super Bowl” or not) and their quarterback is considered to be the G.O.A.T. But, like all of us, he’s aging and he’s likely seen the best of his days. He’s got nothing to prove, but he sees something in rising star Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a young up-and-comer who many predict will be the next Isiah White. His issue, however, is that he’s attacked giving him possible brain damage. Is his career over before it really begins? It so happens that Cameron’s agent (Tim Heidecker) manages for him to train with White for a week out in the middle of nowhere. Cade has worshipped White his entire life, so this is a dream come true. But once there, he finds that the days (each designed to harbor a different skill) aren’t what he expected. Can Cade survive the week and does he have what it takes to be the best?
I have to admit that I went into this not knowing what to expect. I feel that with some movies, that’s a good thing. I felt that this was a Jordan Peele movie, but when the opening credits flashed I realized that I was mistaken. Oops. Still, it’s a movie that wants to be a Jordan Peele movie and there’s nothing wrong with that. The problem is that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but only if done right. This one was all over the map. The visuals are neat, but they get old pretty quick. I found no real linear plot other than Marlon Wayans trying to milk every ounce out of his character. And if you’re looking for a movie that shows a lot of football – look elsewhere. This one is more about abstract imagery, creepy “Rosemary’s Baby” background characters and a plot that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Simply put, this is a missed point after attempt.
Video: How’s it look?
One thing I’ll say for the film is that it is visually aggressive. Perhaps too much so. There’s a segment, and I rarely mention this in reviews, that features a sequence of bright, flashing lights. While I was personally unaffected, I do know that things like this have been known to cause seizures, headaches and so on. There, I’ve done my good deed. But on the visual front, the 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image does excel with some interesting “X-Ray” scenes as well as stark, contrasty scenes that let your imagination wander. By and large, the image is crystal clear giving us what we’d expect with solid black levels and the like. It’s a very stylized look, though, that has some burnt out scenes and so forth. It’s an interesting-looking movie, to be sure.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The Dolby Atmos sound mix is used to its full effect. Crashing helmets, people yelling, footballs being thrown in someone’s face time and again – it’s all there. There’s also several segment of yelling, rap music playing and on and on. If you were worried that your speakers wouldn’t get a workout, fear not. Vocals are strong and concise as well, there’s plenty of yelling by the leads and it adds to the confusion which some of the scenes possess. Nevertheless, it’s a good-sounding mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Director/Co-Writer Justin Tipping offers up a decent track that’s chock full of what we’d expect with details about the shoot, Marlon Wayans and working with Jordan Peele.
- Alternate Ending: Zay’s Nightmare
- Deleted End Credits Scene: Food or Freedom
- Deleted Scenes:
- Cheers – features Tyriq Withers
- Don’t Be a Mascot – features Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers
- The Publicist – features Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox
- Fantasy Football – features Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox
- Cam’s Discovery – features Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox
- Becoming Them – Tyriq Withers and Marlon Wayans didn’t just train like athletes — they learned to think like them. From strict diets and daily workouts to meditation sessions and leadership drills, we explore how these two actors didn’t just play the part—they lived it.
- The Sport of Filmmaking – From integrated lighting and military grade thermal cameras to detailed prosthetics and elevated sets, see how everything came together to create a film as spiritual as it is cinematic.
- Anatomy of a Scene:
- Rebirth
- A Diabolical Game of Catch
- Hymns of a G.O.A.T. – Go behind the scenes with composer Bobby Krlic as he heightens the film’s psychological edge through score—layering aggressive textures, foreboding tensions, and atmospheric sound design that heighten every moment.
The Bottom Line
This one was all over the place. I felt that in better hands it might have been a better film. There’s Jordan Peele’s stamp all over it, but it’s also missing…Jordan Peele as the director. This is a mashup of way too many cliches and use of the word “GOAT.” But for those who like it, it looks good, sounds good and has enough supplements to warrant a purchase.
