Is God Is Review: Sterling K. Brown Gives Career Best Performance In Revenge Thriller

2 weeks ago 21

Published May 12, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT

Josh is a film critic and journalist with over nine years of experience in the entertainment industry. Entering the field at just 17 years old, Josh went on to make his own website, The HoloFiles, and social media brand Star Wars Holocron, the most followed Star Wars fan account on Twitter/X.

A member of both the Chicago Indie Critics and the Hollywood Critics Alliance, Josh has covered major industry events including Star Wars Celebration and, most recently, CinemaCon for ScreenRant. His work has appeared in outlets such as Game Rant and Comic Book Resources (CBR), and he has been featured in publications including the BBC and The New York Times.

How far would you go for revenge? That’s the question that the new film Is God Is asks. Written and directed by Aleshea Harris and based on her stage play of the same name, the film follows two sisters, Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), as they seek to enact revenge upon their father for lighting their mother on fire and burning them in the process. They are fueled with rage by what their dad did, driving them to go on an emotional journey that the film captures.

Young and Johnson complement each other extremely well. Racine is labeled as “the Rough One” due to her fiery personality and deep desire for revenge, and Young conveys that perfectly. The character she's crafted is so overcome by rage that she’s willing to do anything to reach her goal. Johnson’s performance as Anaia (“the Quiet One”) is similarly impactful, but in the opposite sense. She is more hesitant to commit acts of violence than her sister, providing a perfect contrast that pushes the characters on a collision course with one another.

Excellent Performances All Round, But Sterling K. Brown Stands Out Above The Rest

Performance wise, Sterling K. Brown takes top prize in Is God Is. He’s cast against type in the film, tasked with playing the villainous father who commits unspeakable acts of violence against his own family. Without giving too much away, Brown has somewhat limited screen time in the film, but excels with what he’s given. The climax of the story works as well as it does because he portrays “the Monster,” as he’s credited, with a disturbing sense of calm and distinct lack of emotion. Brown is a distinguished actor with many memorable performances in his career to date, but his turn in Is God Is might just be his best yet.

Credit must also go to writer/director Aleshea Harris in what is her feature directorial debut. Is God Is flows seamlessly from scene to scene, which is a testament to the engaging story she crafts. This film works on almost every level, but especially as a revenge story. Audiences will likely be able to feel the violent anger that possesses Racine in particular, making the twins’ mission all the more captivating. So much of that is down to the work of Harris, who crafts two three-dimensional, well-rounded characters that truly feel like real people.

Harris’ excellent work extends to the visuals as well. In an era when so many films are aesthetically bland and unappealing, Is God Is stands out. The colors, such as those seen on the sisters’ clothing, truly pop on screen, helping to hook the viewer in. This, combined with the engaging story being told, makes this film one that audiences dare not look away from. It may not be a blockbuster, but it's more than worth watching on the biggest screen possible.

Harris is telling a story that’s about so much more than just revenge.

The twins at their mother's bedside in Is God Is

Despite being a relatively simple revenge story, Is God Is remains bold and unique, due in part to the stylish nature of the filmmaking. A number of intriguing creative decisions are made, such as having the twins communicate telepathically, with their thoughts appearing as text on the screen. Not only is this a fun and flashy way to make the dialogue more engaging, it also helps to reiterate the characters' bond. The flashbacks are another highly stylized area in the film, shot in a slightly off version of black and white. The color being taken away is not only practical for distinguishing these scenes from the present, but in highlighting core pieces of the father’s appearance, such as his bright, white teeth.

Emotionally, Is God Is excels so brilliantly in capturing not only the anger, but the touching relationship between the sisters. Their bond is a highlight of the film, as the two are so remarkably different, yet also incredibly similar at the same time. Despite the distinct paths they walk throughout this film, their relationship is a beautiful expression of sisterhood and how we can love someone who views the world so differently from us.

By the time the final moments of Is God Is come, it’s clear that Harris' movie is about so much more than just revenge. Beneath the violence that the sisters inflict upon those who stand in their way and the stylized presentation is a story about pain, identity, and the complicated ways trauma can bind people together. This makes Is God Is a haunting, visually striking film that lingers long after the credits roll.

Is God Is releases in theaters on May 15.