PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES

There’s a frequently repeated aphorism in the gridiron horror “HIM.” As presented by devilish veteran quarterback Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), it consists of three priorities: “God, family, football.”

White eventually reveals that he prioritizes those three sacred elements in the reverse order he presents them. In reality, I think screenwriters Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers and Justin Tipping are combining two similar phrases: I’ve mostly heard “faith, family, football” and its close cousin, “God, guns, country.”

Those last two elements aren’t mentioned explicitly in “HIM,” but they’re certainly present.

A treatment of our muddy and increasingly violent cultural touchstones, “HIM” follows a hopeful superstar (Tyriq Withers) as he studies under White at a remote and sinister Texas compound. From its first moment, reality is flexible and the lines between actual threats and hallucinations — the product of head trauma — are fuzzy.

The bad news is that “HIM” has far more ideas than answers; it lacks both a cohesive philosophy and a satisfying narrative conclusion. (It certainly has an explosive and gory conclusion, but those elements are often inserted into films in lieu of a tightly wrapped narrative.) The film, also directed by Tipping under the production of Jordan Peele, is far better at setting up haunting and horrific moments than it is at tying those moments together.

Fortunately, in style and impact, it makes up for its shortcomings. Few films have displayed the physical torment of contact sports so viscerally; if you can manage to watch this movie and then tune in to a football game on Sunday, you’ve got a well-developed sense of cognitive dissonance.

“HIM” is also notable as a great leap forward for Wayans. The actor, most frequently associated with broad comedy, is not new to dramatic work; he gave a brilliant performance in “Requiem for a Dream” a full quarter-century ago. But Isaiah White is equally parts Jake LaMotta and Pennywise the Clown, a vicious trickster who manipulates the audience as well as he manipulates his protege. The film is worth seeing for Wayans alone — provided that you’re prepared to witness a lot of blood on the pigskin.

My Rating: 6/10

“HIM” is now playing in theaters.