Reviews Of Jordan Peele’s Horror Film ‘Him’ Have Been Brutal. Here’s Why It’s Still Worth Watching.

Is Marlon Wayans’ explosive performance enough to save "Him"?

This article originally ran in October. HuffPost is republishing it now that “Him” is streaming on Peacock.

By now, it’s no secret that “Him,” the Justin Tipping-directed, Jordan Peele-produced sports horror flick, isn’t the stellar blockbuster some expected it to be when it hit theaters on Sept. 19 — although its premise did seem promising.

In an effort to answer the question, “What would you sacrifice to become the greatest of all time?” “Him” follows the journey of Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a rising-star quarterback who has sacrificed everything and devoted his entire life to the game of football to fulfill his late father’s (Don Benjamin) wish of becoming the GOAT. His dreams are jeopardized after a mysterious stranger hits him in the head on the football field and gives him a traumatic brain injury.

But just as all hope is lost, Cade’s idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), a legendary quarterback and current GOAT — who also plays for Cade’s favorite team, the San Antonio Saviors — invites the young prodigy to his remote compound for a week of intense training to prove he has what it takes to replace White once he retires. However, as Cade’s training ramps up, and White’s ritualistic tests get more deranged, the young quarterback discovers that he’s expected to sacrifice much more than just his blood, sweat and tears for the sport he loves to attain a near-impossible dream.

This is more or less when “Him” starts to fall apart, as it tries to blend elements of horror with social commentary on a gladiatorial sport that, by its message, often leaves Black men broke down, beat up and ultimately screwed over by white ownership for their entertainment. Its effort left critics less than impressed, though.