“HIM,” a horror movie exploring the dark side of professional football produced by Jordan Peele, Ian Cooper, Win Rosenfeld and Jamal M. Watson, released in the United States on Sept. 19.

The film follows Cameron Cade, played by Tyriq Withers, a rising star quarterback who has dedicated his whole life to football. After suffering a career-altering brain injury, Cam’s dream seems to be withering away until he gains the opportunity to train with his hero and quarterback of the San Antonio Saviors, Isaiah White, played by Marlon Wayans. From there, the story focuses on what it takes to truly become the greatest of all time.

Directed by Justin Tipping, the cinematography and lavishly abstract scenery truly made “HIM” a standout film visually. While it may be easy to lose the plot of the story as sudden scenery takes over the film, it definitely doesn’t mean this film is boring — in fact, it might just be a work of art. While only 96 minutes long, the film is sectioned to mimic Cam’s days at Isaiah’s training camp, with each day focusing on a specific theme.

The use of defining day one as fun and day two as poised outlined certain aspects of the movie that drew the audience’s attention, ultimately coming together to reveal the question Isaiah consistently asked Cam throughout the film — what are you willing to sacrifice to be great?

This question, woven in each scene, tied the viewer back to the plot of Cam learning how to be the best from Isaiah, who was the most recent “GOAT.” But his peculiar ways of teaching exemplify the lengths one must go to be the greatest.

This movie raised an interesting question about the parallels of life we currently face. The obsession people have with not caring too much and being nonchalant about things they should care about creates a loss of passion.

By not caring deeply about the things that once mattered, do we lose all sense of the passion that once existed? And if all passion is lost, then what should people care about?

The thing about feelings is that while they can be intense, they can also create inspiration from within. Anger can be turned into art, and sadness can create a beautiful song. This intensity characterizes our generation, who will do whatever it takes and care more than anyone else to be one of the greats. “HIM” exemplifies that feeling through hallucinations and psychological scenes to portray Cam’s mindset.

Isaiah’s insane training methods, like hitting a player in the face with a football to help Cam deal with distractions on the field, are just the beginning of increasingly strange and horrific actions during training. Blood becomes a recurring image within the movie to portray the chaos that Isaiah exudes.

Additionally, mascots of the San Antonio Saviors repeatedly appear throughout the film, representing how haunting football becomes to Cam. These motifs underscore a question he must grapple with — if it took becoming so insanely obsessed to the point of putting football above everything else to become the greatest, would he do it? This obsession is encouraged by the film’s characters, as Isaiah only tells Cam he is proud when he becomes so intense on the field that he injures another player.

The ending, while seemingly out of place, touches on the cost of fame in American culture. “HIM” portrays the aspects of power, obsession and sacrifice, depicting a reality many athletes face on their path to fame, like sacrificing everything, even yourself, and pushing beyond normal limits to reach that level of greatness.

But if you’re not actively considering these themes throughout the film, it can be easy to lose sight of what the plot is actually about. As scenes become progressively more chaotic and shift away from the football aspect of the movie, you’re essentially watching beautifully choreographed scenery of Cam hallucinating and partying.

Regardless of what you may see, the soundtrack makes up for what you hear. Artists like Denzel Curry, Tierra Whack and Gucci Mane contributed to the music that made this film so captivating. The alternating sounds of adrenaline-pumping rap music during Cam’s training montages and the quietness that mirrors his hallucinations draw you inside his mind, giving the film an added layer of complexity.

Justin Tipping’s creativity throughout “HIM” is unmatched, and while the film might not click with everyone, that is exactly what makes it so interesting. It’s weird, bold and might leave you walking out of the theatre with more questions than you walked in with, but it will definitely get you thinking, and that’s the whole point.

RATING: 4/5