In the new football horror film HIM, Marlon Wayans takes on a role that is a departure from his usual comedic route. Showing range, the actor and comedian portrays Isaiah White, a Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Antonio Saviors.
The movie follows a rising football star, Cameron “Cam” Cade (Tyriq Withers), who is mentored and trained by White at an isolated facility. While Cade is programmed to believe “do whatever it takes to become HIM,” a popular saying that describes a top-tier guy, there’s a horrific downside to pushing himself beyond what he can take mentally and physically.
HIM was released in theaters, distributed by Universal Pictures, on September 19. And it didn’t take long for critics to share their thoughts on the Jordan Peele-produced project. So, Wayans made a post on Instagram as a response.
Marlon Wayans wants everyone to “go see HIM,” and form their own opinions
In their reviews, critics are calling the production a missed field goal. Some are describing it as “failed to make a touchdown.” However, they are praising Marlon’s performance, saying it might be the best of his legendary career. While critics are highly skilled and have the credentials to back up their reviews, it doesn’t mean their opinions are the only opinions.
In an Instagram post, Wayans wrote that he valued the opinions of critics. However, the only way to truly determine if you’d like the film is to watch it yourself. The post features screenshots of some of his popular movies that weren’t well-received by critics. Many have Rotten Tomatoes scores lower than expected. They Include White Chicks, Scary Movie 2, and A Haunted House. Yet, the Popcornmeter, which is based on reviews by the audience — those who have seen the films and aren’t paid to give reviews — is a lot higher.
Many films that didn’t garner critical acclaim became popular cult classics
Marlon Wayans is right; don’t let critic reviews or even the reviews of others stop you from going to the theaters to watch HIM if you’re interested. Some of the best movies weren’t critically acclaimed. Still, they went on to become cult classics, which matters because the support comes from fans/the audience. They spend their hard-earned money on movie tickets or watch a production not through a professional lens, but through a lens of enjoyment.
If every film had to be critically acclaimed, over half of the classics we know and love wouldn’t exist. Critics play a vital role in shaping the discourse around films. Yet audiences are equally crucial in determining a film’s success and longevity.
Photo credit: Instagram/@marlonwayans
