Him: A Critical Review – Style Over Substance?

A Visually Stunning, Yet Ultimately ‍Hollow, Examination of Football Culture

The ⁣film Him attempts a bold deconstruction of American football, tackling themes of masculinity, tradition, ‌and the ⁢pressures of⁢ athletic ⁢greatness.Though, despite its striking visuals, the movie struggles to move beyond surface-level observations, ultimately feeling more like a stylistic exercise than‍ a truly insightful critique.

The core idea – a patriarchal, almost ritualistic passing down of expectations from father ‍to son, deeply ingrained in ⁢the fabric⁢ of American culture – is potent. Unluckily, the script doesn’t delve into the complexities​ of this dynamic, relying rather on escalating events that lose their impact over time.

A Missed⁢ Opportunity with race

The film⁢ briefly acknowledges the added weight ‍placed on Black athletes. Isaiah, the quarterback, poignantly states, “As a Black quarterback, ‌I had to be great just to be good. Imagine what I had to do to be the greatest of all time.” This is a crucial point, but it feels frustratingly‌ underdeveloped, leaving ‌a meaningful opportunity unexplored.

Spectacle Over substance

Him ‍ aims to dismantle the bombastic iconography of football – the⁤ militarism, patriotism, and hyper-masculinity. Ironically, its ‌visually arresting scenes could easily be repurposed for commercial breaks during Sunday games.The NFL already delivers over-the-top spectacle: exploding helmets, robotic players, and athletes posed like statues with fighter jets​ soaring overhead.

You might expect a film to challenge‍ this excess with ⁢nuance, but Him simply adds to it. Visual hyperbole, in this case, doesn’t subvert the existing spectacle; it replicates⁢ it.

Lost in Fantastical Excess

The film’s⁤ descent into the fantastical ultimately becomes its downfall.As Him becomes increasingly surreal and unbound by⁤ reality, it loses its emotional core. It’s challenging to connect with the characters or feel invested in their fates when the ⁢world around them feels so dreamlike and detached.

While a stylistic choice to embrace the unreal could have been compelling, the filmmakers seem to ‍simultaneously desire a coherent narrative. This tension results in a film that impresses visually but lacks genuine substance.

Ultimately, Him presents‌ itself as a gonzo spectacle of macho phantasmagoria. however,⁣ beneath the surface, it remains hollow, a missed opportunity to truly interrogate the ​complex cultural forces surrounding American football and‌ the athletes who embody them. You’re left with a visually stimulating experience, but one that doesn’t linger long after the credits roll.