Aside from a Hallmark rom-com about the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s hard to remember the last time anyone made a football horror movie. 

Capitalizing on this largely untapped market is newcomer director Justin Tipping, backed by MVP horror producer Jordan Peele.

“Him” centers on Cameron Cade (played by former Florida State University wide receiver Tyriq Withers), a college quarterback who finally gets the chance to train under his sports idol (played by “White Chicks” actor Marlon Wayans) after a brain injury stunts his chances at becoming the gridiron GOAT. What starts out as a training retreat quickly turns into a never-meet-your-heroes nightmare as Cade learns of his coach’s true plan for him.

Even with a killer starting lineup, the real horror here is the movie itself. The more “Him” went on, the sooner it hit me that I was witnessing Team Peele’s first fumble.

The biggest blindside here is the film’s back-and-forth dialogue. Between every mildly funny “Him Kardashian” and “Himothée Chalamet” quip, there’s a sense the writers are scared that viewers will forget the movie’s one-word title.

Even for a horror movie character, our hero struggles to think straight. I would’ve wanted out after the first football drill, but Cade sticks it out for far too long in this hellish Texas training camp.

“Him” keeps up its losing streak with a nonsensical plot. Despite a compelling start, its last act becomes an incoherent music video of feverish violence and annoying soundtrack drops. Director Tipping might as well have bypassed the movie theater to drop this on Spotify and stick the Vevo logo in the corner.

While this is a rough first outing, Tipping is a promising director who I can see finding his footing in future projects. I love how he’s able to aesthetically switch on a dime — no pun intended — between a Gatorade ad and a sinister spaghetti western. If nothing else, “Him” is a visually memorable movie.

Lead actor Withers is also definitely going places. While it was hard for me to unravel who Cade was beyond his blank-slate ball knowledge, Withers is great at showing how Cade cracks under the pressure of Wayans’ increasingly dreadful orders. I also hope this movie can usher in a Wayans renaissance, because he deserves much better than this.

What could have been a sharp critique of the conflation of faith and football ended up being a nothing-burger with a bad aftertaste. Unfortunately, this flop may discourage more potential horror sports movies that truly have something to say.

As a Peele diehard, one flop won’t make me hop off the bandwagon. “Him” still hurts my heart though. Hopefully, Peele can use his offseason to sharpen his coaching skills and be a more constructive producer for his next director prospects. 

“Him” is not as bad as Rotten Tomatoes suggests, but I can’t recommend this film in good conscience, either. While “Him” is a perfectly spooky sports flick, it won’t ever be a first-round pick at your next movie night.

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