The Jordan Peele-produced Him recently hit theatres and is the talk of the town. Although the sports horror film, directed by Justin Tipping, was highly anticipated, it debuted with a low Rotten Tomatoes score of 29% critical approval.
Despite this, fans appear to be singing a different tune, with the audience Popcornmeter being higher at 58%. Many fans took to posting their reactions and reviews on X.
Him movie is a 10/10. Heavy metaphors. Lots to digest. Not a film with a spoon fed plot. Overall excellent execution I really have no notes. pic.twitter.com/Y6KnbTOCPN
Glad to see someone else enjoyed it I appreciated its take on how the world treats and views athletes
#HimMovie was intense and suspenseful, it doesn't hold anything back in creating a unique atmosphere of blending sports and horror together. It was shot well and the overall premise and solid performances keep it engaging as it builds up and culminates into its final moments pic.twitter.com/0lTDe9yB7y
HIM starts out as a normal sports movie and develops into one of the best horror films of the year. Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers are great and play well against each other. I loved the stunning cinematography, editing and sound design. And the ending is insane!
#HimMovie
Just screened #HIM & I loved it! I’ve seen so many films this summer that failed @ providing the audience w/character backstories &that’s where the film excels. Tyriq Withers was perfect,Marlon Wayans is great & I was surprised by Julia Fox’s performance!GO SEE IT! 5⭐️@himmovie pic.twitter.com/nv2EToGSDr
With such praise from fans of the Marlon Wayans film, the buzz from critics paints a different picture.
What Are Critics Saying About Him?
Him follows the trials of a young up-and-coming football player (Withers) training at the isolated compound of an aging, nearly retired quarterback (Wayans). Here are a few key details about the film:
The film is currently being bashed by critics online for multiple reasons. The Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus states:
Fumbling the ball well before the red zone, HIM has style to spare but botches its promising conceit with rookie execution.
Ouch. It’s hard to watch the director, who made the American adventure film Kicks (2016), fumble so hard when he has close to a decade of experience in direction. David Fear of Rolling Stone magazine had this to say:
HIM ultimately takes all of these elements and throws them rapidly downfield at what feels like the most unfocused attempt at a socially resonant, allegory-heavy genre movie in ages.
Of late, the elevated horror genre has seen its fair share of allegory-heavy films that often tell multiple stories within one, layered masterfully if done right. Jordan Peele is one such director whose films, like Get Out and Nope, are often allegories that bring to light the prevalent racism Black people face in modern America.
David Ehrlich of IndieWire stated:
“Him” knows that it’s silly as hell, but it has no idea how to balance that against the ostensible seriousness of its social critique, which is how you wind up with leaden dialogue sandwiched between moments of broad satire.
It’s unfortunate to see a critic blatantly call out the one thing we can count on Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions to expertly tell, but we digress. Social satire is a strong suit for Peele, so we would expect that his production studio would back films that do a decent job at it.
Beatrice Loayaza of the New York Times talked about the lack of action in the film :
For too long, we’re like players stuck in a dark stadium tunnel, retreading the same concepts and fending off opaque threats, when all we wanted was some action.
When allegorical stories focus more on concepts, it’s easy to lose an audience without an engaging, unfolding narrative that would have to involve some action in the form of horror elements, since that’s what a majority of the ticket-holders are paying for.
Meagan Navarro appears to summarise all the critics’ reactions to the films with her review on Bloody Disgusting:
Despite a stellar cast and a strong concept executed with vibrant style, HIM fumbles in integrating its visceral symbolism with horror and storytelling
We can’t cover what every critic stated, but suffice it to say, a majority of them are trashing the movie for its bad storytelling.
Him generated a lot of hype for potentially being the best horror film of the year as horror veterans Marlon Wayans and Jordan Peele are involved, but it appears that the movie is in hot soup after a disappointing performance at the box office. There is definitely hope for redemption for Jordan Peele as he shoots his next film.
What’s Next for Jordan Peele?
Nobody except Jordan Peele knows the details of his upcoming film. After the original release date for Christmas 2024 was pushed to October 23, 2026, it was then quietly removed from Universal Studios’ slate (via Variety).
Peele has a longstanding relationship with Universal Studios, which has distributed every single movie he has written and directed. This was a result of a multi-year deal that gave Universal distribution rights to Peele’s films.
The film has been categorized as a horror thriller, as reported by Variety, and is currently being worked on behind the scenes. Peele revealed some information about his excitement about the project after speaking to Conan (via the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast):
I do feel like my next project is clear to me, and I’m psyched that I have another film that, you know, could be my favorite movie if I make it right.
Truth be told, an upcoming confirmed project by Peele is actually a video game. At The Game Awards 2023, Kojima Productions figurehead (and known collaborator with Hollywood stars) Hideo Kojima appeared with Peele to present a new horror video game, titled OD. You can watch the teaser for the game down below.
Jordan Peele is a lifelong fan of Kojima and had this to say (via Esquire):
….he’s been an inspiration to me, and the opportunity to collaborate with him is truly incredible. In my films, I’m trying to maximize the immersion, put the audience into the main characters’ shoes. Hideo is the master of this. He does it on a whole ‘nother level. What he’s cooking up here is completely immersive, utterly terrifying, and I am absolutely honored to be collaborating with the GOAT.
While Kojima is the primary director and designer of OD, Peele is credited as a co-writer. As of September 2025, OD doesn’t have a confirmed release date, and its story is currently under wraps.
Following a successful year for horror with films like Sinners, Weapons, and The Conjuring: Last Rites, can Him become one of those cult films years later? Only time will tell.
Have you seen Him yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Him is currently showing in movie theaters across the U.S.
