Reviewers: Raul Garcia, Chris Dubose, Ray Ricks III, Rock Young

Here at GeekForE, we call this a ‘review in the round’ and we pull it out when we see a cool new flick but we’re split on how we felt about it. This one was begging for a round review! Getting some logistical things out of the way, HIM is rated R for strong/bloody violence, language throughout, sexual material, nudity and drug use. It has a running time of 1hr and 36 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: Hot young football recruit Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers, TV’s Atlanta) will do anything to be the next GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). But after a zealous fan’s rage which injures him – Cade has to now prove himself to the NFL masses. What better way than to sign up for a week of vigorous training led by the NFL’s current GOAT Isaiah White (Marlon Wayons – White Chicks). What starts as a simple week of exercise, football skill training devolves into a world of terror for Cade and a real re-examining of what he really wants vs what truly matters in life. God, family, football. Or is it Football, family, God?

R. Garcia: Watching this movie was like trying to interpret somebody else’s dream. This is kind of a crappy concept for a movie if you spend all this money on it and know damn well that this is not going to make a dime. I’m still baffled about this flick.

R. Ricks III: There was a lot of paganism. This was a battle between light and dark. The Saviors (fictional football team) were the pagans. Basically saying, sell your soul for greatness; but it’s deeper than that. The pagan and Illuminati symbolism were all over the place. They knew what they were doing! If you accept these images as a representation of the underlying story, it makes more sense.

R. Garcia: Ray, if you had a conversation with the Director, he’ll probably be like ‘what f*%ck movie were you watching?’

R. Ricks III: Well, it was the movie he made and the 4 of us had 4 different opinions. That’s kind of cool for a Director and writer!

R. Garcia: Not for me! Nothing cool about that at all. If somebody was to ask me ‘hey, how was the movie?’ ‘What was it about?’ I’ll be like, I thought it sucked and I have no idea what it was about. I don’t think I’ve ever had that response to any movie!

Rock Y: That’s not easy…writing a film that gets interpreted by audiences in multiple ways – but this flick fits the bill. I saw it as an indictment of football, recruiting, contracts and legacy. Am I suppose to believe that NFL owners would enact such a program to recruit new talent? And why do I feel like I got ‘bait and switched?’ I saw trailers of gore, sweat and supernatural – but that is NOT what I got, I think audiences will reject this.

R. Garcia: I went into HIM with a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism, but walked out mostly disappointed. The movie seems to have big ideas, but it never really commits to them or explains them in a way that makes sense. Instead, it leans too heavily on being mysterious and ‘artsy.’ leaving the audience more confused than intrigued. The pacing was uneven – slow stretches that drag on forever, followed by moments that feel rushed and underdeveloped. It felt like the filmmakers wanted us to think deeply about what was happening, but the story telling was so muddled that it just became frustrating instead. By the time the credits rolled, we left scratching our heads – not discussing themes or hidden meanings, but just wondering what the point of it all was. Visually, there were a few strong elements, and you can tell the Director had an aesthetic vision. Unfortunately, nice cinematography alone isn’t enough to carry a story that doesn’t stick the landing. Overall, HIM felt more like a confusing experiment than a fully realized film. Unless you enjoy movies that prioritize ambiguity over coherence, it’s hard to recommend. I give it 2 out of 5 for an interesting concept that clearly disappoints in execution.

Rock Y: That’s rough! I mean, I felt like it was trying too hard to be deep and mysterious without ever paying off.

Chris D: I’m telling you, this will win Best Original film…guaranteed!

Rock Y: I’m glad you aren’t the one making Academy decisions…. I predict a decent 12-15M opening and then straight to streaming. Audiences will reject this and be sadly dissappointed at the bait and switch.

R. Ricks III: I appreciated the ambiguity. I felt the visuals and cryptic storytelling gave it an artistic edge and left room for personal interpretation.

C. Dubose: I saw a mystery and liked it!

FINAL CONSENSUS: Split down the middle! Rock & Raul gave it a 2/5, Ray & Chris gave it a 4/5.