Summary
- Jordan Peele's new film, Him, delves into the world of competitive sports, pushing the boundaries of horror themes.
- Him explores the dark side of the football industry, emphasizing sacrifice and the pressures faced by young players.
- The teaser for Him showcases a cosmic horror twist on sports, with graphic violence and a focus on the psychological aspects of the game.
Jordan Peele is back with a brand-new psychological horror, and this time he's delving into the world of competitive sports. Him is a further evolution of Peele's style, seeking to redefine the themes and topics the horror genre can explore.
Originally known for his work as part of the comedic duo Key & Peele, Jordan Peele made a major career change and is now renowned for his iconic outings in horror cinema, going on to found his own production company: Monkeypaw Productions. Get Out was Peele's initial film in 2017, and it quickly became an instant classic. Much like his later films, Us and Nope, all of his stories explore the African-American experience in past and present-day American society. Get Out was an incredible exploration of the objectification and exploitation of black bodies by those in wealthy, white cultures, who create a pretense of liberalism or feigned tolerance because they perceive being African-American as fashionable. It also expertly captured some of the pernicious and subconscious racial biases at play in modern-day society. Now, Peele is seeking to use his genre-bending form to tackle issues within the sports community.
Jordan Peele Remade Jaws Without Anyone Noticing
Nope and Jaws share so many parallels that they feel almost identical. Jordan Peele subverts tropes to create a cosmic horror version of Jaws.
The cross-section of horror and sports may not have been an obvious decision for others within the film industry, but for Peele, it's an exciting new frontier to capture how bent the human psyche can become for those trapped under the weight of the football industry. The teaser opens with shots of a roaring stadium, asking the insistent question, "Do you want this? I said, Do you want this?" Right off the bat, this establishes a power dynamic between those football players seeking to become legends and the expectations that are placed upon them. Although he's only a producer on the project, Peele is signaling from the get-go that a hard level of commitment and sacrifice is needed from those who do indeed want to be the best, as viewers are repeatedly reminded of the mantra that:
"Talent is how hard you're willing to work. No days off. No Sleep. We Grind."
Jordan Peele Is Continuing His Trend Of Commenting On Black Experience Through Horror Cinema
The protagonist, Cameron Cade, is played by Tyriq Withers, who suffers an almost career-ending brain trauma from a rogue, unhinged fan. His football hero, legendary eight-time Championship quarterback and cultural megastar, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), offers to train Cam at his isolated compound. At first glance, it plays like a coming-of-age sports drama. But in classic Peele fashion, the mood quickly shifts as Isaiah White asks, "What are you willing to sacrifice?" Viewers are then treated to a plethora of horrific teasers of cult-like costumes, satanic imagery, walls of faces, graphic violence, and a tolling answer to the question: "Everything!" From the recent footage, it's clear the creative team with be dealing with the awful mounting pressures young players can face from coaches, fans, and a culture that demands perfection.
Him will be released exclusively in theaters on September 9th.