When thinking of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, an acclaimed, award-deserving actor is not the first thing that comes to mind. With his newest role as Mark Kerr in an MMA biopic, “The Smashing Machine,” which was released Oct. 3, Johnson combines his two careers into one, giving the performance they have been building towards.

Gory. Unsettling. Surreal. Messy. These are the four words that describe the theatrical experience of watching Justin Tipping’s “Him.” While Tipping has directed and co-directed “Kicks” and...