Is God Is Mini Review/Analysis (light spoilers)
Is God Is
Release Date: May 15, 2026
Director: Aleshea Harris
Distributer: Amazon MGM Studios
Main Cast
Kara Young
Sterling K. Brown
Vivica A. Fox
Mallori Johnson
Erika Alexander
Janelle Monae
Is God Is. The title of this movie makes me think of the common saying among Black Christians: God is good all the time and all the time God is good. But is God good all the time? This film causes us to question this belief, along with showing us the dangers of granting flawed human beings with god-like status. A journey of twin sisters named Racine and Anaia seeking to avenge the violence visited upon them and their mother Ruby (played by Vivica Fox) by their father the Monster (played brilliantly by Sterling K. Brown), both parents are worshipped as God while taking actions that forever alter the course of their children’s lives.
We meet Ruby towards the beginning of the film, where we learn that she is still alive after her husband tried to kill her by setting her on fire in front of their twins. Thinking that it would be better to let everyone think she died, Ruby summons the girls when they are adults and tells them the truth of how the fire started. She then instructs them to “make your daddy dead”. Racine and Anaia’s differing reactions to this ask gives us insight into how their trauma shaped who they have become. Racine is gung ho about making their father pay for his violence and refers to Ruby as God because she made them. I found this declaration intriguing and I can see how and why Ruby exalts their mother to this status. In the Christian story of the world’s origins, God created the world and gave life to the first humans and Racine and Anaia are each other’s world. But would God demand that you take a life, specifically the life of the other parent who made you?
Ruby obviously loves her girls and is also understandably consumed by anger, rage, and hurt and her trauma is passed onto Racine and Anaia. As we see throughout the rest of the film as the girls look for their dad and encounter deadly obstacles along the way, this compounded trauma has tragic results. A shocking scene towards the end of the film also causes us to question Ruby’s true role in what happened to the twins on that fateful day. Is God Is does a great job at showing how parents can explicitly or implicitly pass on trauma to their children, unknowingly altering the trajectory of their lives.
Although we don’t see the Monster abuse his second wife, portrayed by Janelle Monae, watching her organize his hats to his exact specifications clues us into the dragon that her and her twin sons try very hard not to antagonize less he torches them too. Their twin sons, played by actors Xavier and Justen Ross, mirror Racine and Anaia’s personalities, and when all the siblings meet, each twin is drawn to their mirror image. Divine the Healer is the most troubled example of the harm of passing down trauma and obsession to your children. Erika Alexander lights up the screen as Divine the Healer, who after her encounter with the Monster 17 years prior, is still waiting for his return.
Divine’s obsession and worship of the Monster is passed on to the son conceived from her time with him. He believes he was conceived in his father’s image and his worship of him leads him to violence in an encounter with his twin sisters. For everyone who crosses paths with the Monster, his impact on their lives leads to an obsession that becomes a form of worship. As the fire and brimstone pastors preach, he is a jealous and vengeful god who punishes those who sin against him. They are all convinced of his return and prepare accordingly, whether it’s keeping an altar, training for a showdown, or planning to escape.
Let’s finally talk about Sterling K. Brown’s portrayal of the Monster/God. Although he isn’t on screen for much of the film, when we finally see all of the Monster and his true nature, it is frightening. The Monster is the personification of evil, similar to Michael Myers from the Halloween film franchise. Watching his slow and deliberate movements and hearing his soft and measured voice as he explains why he tried to kill Ruby made my heart race. I relish seeing Sterling K. Brown portray more scary villain roles in the future; his transformation into the Monster was felt!
Is God Is gives audiences so much to think, wonder about, and question. This mini review/analysis covers just one of the film’s themes that stuck with me; when human beings take the power of life and death into their own hands as if they were God, destruction is sure to follow. I want to watch this movie again because I think it is the type of film where you come away with different meanings and interpretations each time you see it. I also didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did, and I’m glad for those moments of levity and it shows that even when life is generally grim, fun and laughter are still possible. I’m excited to see more work from director Aleshea Harris and actors Kara Young (Racine) and Mallori Johnson (Anaia).