If you're tired of revenge thrillers that follow the same familiar formula, "Is God Is" should be near the top of your watchlist. Aleshea Harris's feature directorial debut is a brutal and stylish tale of righteous anger that feels like "Thelma and Louise" with the dry humor and biting social commentary of "The Boondocks."
It's one of my favorite films of the summer, and has already earned widespread critical acclaim — including a stellar 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, all that praise didn't translate to success at the box office, with "Is God Is" earning $5 million against a $14.8 million budget.
Now that it's streaming on Prime Video as of today (August 19), I'm hoping this gorgeous and thrilling revenge story will finally find its audience. It features an all-Black cast and a Black writer/director, Aleshea Harris, who adapted it from her award-winning play of the same name. That's rare for a major studio release, which is all the more reason why "Is God Is" deserves a spot on your watchlist.
Still not convinced? Here's everything you need to know about "Is God Is." While you're at it, check out everything new on Prime Video in August.
What 'Is God Is' about?
Based on Harris' award-winning stage play, "Is God Is" follows twin sisters Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), who survived the unimaginable. Their father (Sterling K. Brown) set their mother (Vivica A. Fox) on fire in front of them, and they carry the scars (both mental and physical) to this day.
For as close as they are, the twins couldn't be more differently personality-wise: Racine is the brash one, with burn scars on her arm, while Anaia is the quiet, sensitive twin, with burn scars on her face. After the fire, their childhood was spent jumping from one foster home to another. Now grown up, they receive a letter from their estranged mother, who asks them to visit her on her deathbed.
There, she reveals why she abandoned them, and asks for one last favor: to kill the man who hurt them. The twins set out on a "Kill Bill"-style quest for closure and revenge, culminating in a climax where almost no one makes it out alive.
Some moments you'll see coming, while others will catch you completely off guard. I got genuinely emotional seeing Anaia go from being meek and reluctant to take revenge to finding her footing and standing up to their father by the end. The film also boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, and Mykelti Williamson.
Stream 'Is God Is' on Prime Video now
That 97% Rotten Tomatoes score isn't just based on a handful of reviews. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists 120 critic reviews, with another 1,000 from viewers behind its healthy 86% audience score.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus calls the movie a "blistering revenge thriller with superb directorial confidence by Aleshea Harris." "Few films are as entertaining as they are meaningful, and Is God Is clears that hurdle with intent and purpose," wrote Johhn Serba in a review for Decider.
"Is God Is may borrow from an old narrative formula, but it reframes it into something sharper and more searching," said The Guardian's Andrew Lawrence. "It shows that stories rooted in Black trauma don’t have to be pulled down by it. Vibrancy and texture are what give a killing spree its stakes, after all, and this one ends with an understated affirmation of the human spirit."
Knowing that Harris adapted her own play for the big screen makes the final production even more impressive. Her theatrical background shines through in the movie's svelte style and mesmerizingly composed shots. Although framed as a revenge thriller, Harris’ play is brutally candid about domestic violence and the damage patriarchy inflicts on both women and men. Through "Is God Is," Harris rages against that cycle of violence, first onstage and now in her feature-film debut.
Watch "Is God Is" on Prime Video now
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