Shadows on the Wall

Him

dir Justin Tipping
scr Zack Akers, Skip Bronkie, Justin Tipping
prd Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper
with Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Maurice Greene, Indira G Wilson, Geron McKinley, Heather Lynn Harris, Don Benjamin, Akeem "Guapdad 4000" Hayes, Naomi Grossman
release US 19.Sep.25,
UK 3.Oct.25
25/US Universal 1h36

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There are great ideas swirling within this well-crafted thriller, which explores a young man's collision with the dedication required to become an elite athlete. But after the intriguing set-up, the writers simply abandon character and thematic details that might have held this movie together, indulging in freak-out imagery that feels annoyingly disconnected while simplistically nodding to religion, corporate greed and obsessive sports. But there's nothing to it.

Rising star Cam (Withers) has been aiming for the big time since he was a young boy, and now he is the top draft pick in America's pro-football league. Even more promising, his idol Isaiah (Wayans), who is considered the greatest quarterback of all time, takes him under his wing, bringing Cam to his desert enclave for special training sessions. But Cam has already begun seeing bizarre figures lurking around him. And he's a bit worried that Dr Marco (Jefferies) is injecting him with mysterious drugs. Soon, Cam realises that this is all or nothing.

Amid continual reminders that football must be the top priority in life, Isaiah speaks in riddles as he mentors Cam through this process. Isaiah's influencer wife Elsie (Fox) is also on hand with her absurd comments. And various other players arrive to put themselves into harm's way apparently to help Cam grow. Meanwhile, wildly costumed people keep appearing around Cam, perhaps in his dreams, although several of these encounters turn extremely grisly. All of this feels satirical, although the target remains out of focus.

Performances are committed and passionate, especially from Withers, who throws his entire body into the role. In his terrified, determined eyes, we experience this increasingly outrageous situation, although Cam's reactions aren't always sympathetic. Wayans is also excellent in a much darker-than-usual role as both coach and antagonist, and he plays Isaiah with a sharp sense of tenacity, even if many of the things he says are intentionally ridiculous.

This is a deliberately abrasive movie that strains indulgently to keep the audience off balance, so it's difficult to get involved in the story or care about the characters. As a result, it's yucky and silly, rather than scary. While the cast and crew are putting in fine work, director-cowriter Tipping never adds meaning to the nastiness. So deeper issues that emerge without any kind of pay-off. So in the end, it seems like this movie only exists to wallow in hideous but ultimately pointless gore.

themes, language, violence 29.Sep.25

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