The new MGM+ film ‘Is God Is,’ adapted from an Off-Broadway play, presents a provocative, humorous, and thought-provoking revenge saga with a modern sensibility. Directed by Aleshea Harris in her feature film debut, the movie stars Kara Young and Mallori Johnson as twin sisters on a cross-country journey to confront and kill their father.
The film opens with a black-and-white flashback establishing the protagonists, Anaia (Johnson) and Racine (Young). In the present, Anaia is meek and sensitive, her face heavily scarred, while Racine is assertive and angry, her scars extending from her shoulder to her fingertips. The twins share a deep bond, exhibiting synchronized actions and even communicating telepathically through on-screen subtitles. IMAGE8
Their journey begins when they receive a letter from their mother, Ruby (Vivica A. Fox), whom they believed to be dead. Ruby, also heavily scarred, lives in the South and is dying. The twins travel to see her, learning that their psychotic father burned Ruby and them years earlier. Ruby tasks them with avenging her by killing him, a mission that presents a moral quandary for the sisters who have never taken a life. Racine, more resolute, embraces the task, while Anaia expresses hesitation.
The narrative incorporates a religio-spiritual element, with the twins viewing their mother as a divine figure whose will they must follow. As they pursue their father, they encounter his former associates and other children, navigating the wreckage of his life. The film explores themes of vengeance and inherited violence, with one character asserting that violence is "in the blood," a notion the film aims to challenge.
‘Is God Is’ has been compared to films like ‘Kill Bill’ for its heightened reality and propulsive energy, and its narrative moves with a deliberate pace, leading to an inevitable inflection point. Both leads deliver strong performances, with Johnson’s portrayal of Anaia offering a particularly complex emotional arc.
Director Harris successfully translates the stage production to film without betraying its theatrical origins, creating a cinematic experience with considerable style and attitude. The film employs exaggeration to emphasize moments of comedy and thematic weight, such as a visual representation of Ruby still smoldering. The supporting cast, including Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, and Mykelti Williamson, also makes a significant impact. The film’s story exists outside of contemporary technology, contributing to its timeless feel.
‘Is God Is’ is noted for not eliciting cheers for its violent sequences, a deliberate choice by Harris. The film delves into the cultural specificity of the Black American experience, exploring the morality of brutality in response to brutality without offering easy answers. Instead of focusing solely on the consequences of revenge, the film moves towards a quietly transcendent and hopeful conclusion, recontextualizing plot twists to serve its thematic relevance. The film is described as both entertaining and meaningful, earning a "STREAM IT" recommendation.