The Wasteland Reviewer

Is God Is (2026) Written Review

How does one make an impact with your directorial debut? Many upcoming filmmakers finally reach the point of getting to deliver their first feature length but not everyone gets serious attention. You must deliver a film that is going to sit with people. There must be a hook on a deeply human level that connects it with an audience. Delivering a film with a deeply personal and meaningful foundation allows it to have true meaning with people. Delivering some dynamic filmmaking that is hard to forget goes a long way too. If you can find the right stars that powerfully convey the director’s vision, that just might seal the deal. All eyes are on Aleshea Harris’ debut Is God Is. 

What makes this such a powerful and resounding debut feature for Harris? Adapting her own stage play, Is God Is delivers a provocative, powerful, unrelenting, and challenging cinematic experience. This is a story of two twin sisters. They have lived a challenging life post being burned as children (along with their mother) by their father. Kara Young’s Racine has burns on her arms and other hidden areas of her body. But her sister, Mallori Johnson’s Anaia, has burns all over her face making it much harder to hide. When their mother, Vivica A. Fox’s Ruby, contacts them, she gives them a mission…kill their father (Sterling K. Brown). This sets them on a journey through the horrible remnants of their father’s past and present. The film is dynamic and brutal. The looming trauma from their past gives the experience depth and rich thematic exploration. The film is structured like a fable with a dark quest waiting at the end of this journey. There is a poetic lens in which the film plays out. There might be a predictability to some of the narrative beats, but they still deliver powerfully. There are a distinct language and voice to the film’s dialogue that makes it feel authentic and grounded in the world that Harris creates on screen. The film delivers a film full of engaging and interesting characters who have all been influenced by the darkness and trauma created around Brown’s character. The film is full of richness of theme, meaning, and soul.

What does Harris contribute from behind the camera? The script is not the only element of the film with a distinct voice. The visual presentation of Is God Is has plenty of striking elements that will stick with you long after the credits begin to roll. There is a brash and bold voice that gives the film electric and fiery energy. Harris also delivers a brutality that is hard to deny. The story is about a history of violence and Harris finds the right balance of not shying away from the violence without glorifying some of the most shocking acts. There is some impressive camera work that builds great tension and suspense (including a long sequence of shoe-level tracking shots that craft quite the haunting environment. Harris and cinematographer Alexander Dynan work perfectly together to craft such an engrossing visual experience. The needle drops and the score from Joseph Shirley and Moses Sumney do wonders in developing the haunting and emotionally powerful experience that Is God Is delivers. The pacing is pitch perfect as those 99 minutes fly by without you able to look away. This has so many creative hallmarks from the use of split screens and sisterly bonds communicated through text on screen that gives this film such a distinct experience. 

What is the last piece of this rich recipe of cinematic expression? This stellar cast. The chemistry between Young and Johnson is undeniable. They effortlessly feel like real sisters who convey so much with each other through their body language. Young brings such a distinct fire and presence as the smaller but more aggressive sister. Johnson brings a sensitivity to Anaia that is quite powerful and moving (making her endlessly empathetic). But when push comes to shove, Johnson is going to deliver some powerful moments as the film finds its way to its climax. She only gets a few moments to shine but Fox is quite the powerful presence as their horribly scarred and dying mother. There is some impressive character work coming from a few of the characters that Racine and Anaia along the way. When you can have actors like Mykelti Williamson, Janelle Monae, and Erika Alexander, they deliver in the limited screen time that they have. Outside of the star making turns from Young and Johnson, Brown is going to be the performance that is remembered. His character is presented in a mythological and mysterious way throughout the film, but when he finally is revealed, it is well worth the wait. There is something truly haunting and disturbing behind his quiet calm. The physicality he brings to the final confrontation is disturbing. Young, Johnson, and Brown deliver a finale that will be hard to forget. 

Does Harris’ debut make a meaningful splash? Is God Is will be the type of film that deeply resonates with all who see it. There are some serious themes that are brutal and impactful. The performances across the board are quite impressive with Young and Johnson delivering some star-making performances. This is quite the darkly funny, twisted, and haunting quest full of personality, thrills, and intensity. Is God Is feels like a film from a confident and steady hand making Harris’ future works “must see”.