The movie “Is God Is” is not an easy movie to watch, but it is a powerful and deeply emotional film that forces viewers to confront pain, trauma, abuse, revenge, and the scars people carry throughout life. 

Directed by Aleshea Harris and adapted from her award-winning stage play, the movie follows twin sisters Racine and Anaia, who were horribly burned as children after their father set fire to their home. 

At the request of their dying mother, the sisters set out on a journey of revenge to find the man responsible for destroying their family. The haunting command that drives the story is unforgettable: “Make your daddy dead, real dead.”  

The film is raw, violent, emotional, and at times uncomfortable, but beneath the revenge story is a deeper message about wounded people searching for healing, identity, and peace. The sisters’ burn scars are visible reminders of their suffering, yet the movie wisely shows that the deepest scars are often the invisible ones inside the human heart.  

From a Christian perspective, this film opens the door to several important lessons.

First, trauma leaves marks both outwardly and inwardly. The Bible teaches that people can look alive on the outside while carrying brokenness within.

Racine and Anaia’s physical scars symbolize emotional wounds caused by violence, abandonment, fear, and bitterness. Many people today carry hidden scars from childhood pain, abuse, rejection, or betrayal. While the world often notices external damage first, God sees the deeper wounds of the soul. Scripture reminds us in Psalm 147:3 that God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Second, the movie illustrates the destructive cycle of violence and hatred. Throughout the story, the sisters wrestle with becoming consumed by the very rage that was passed down to them. One of the film’s strongest themes is the danger of allowing pain to shape our identity.   

Christians can recognize the truth that unresolved anger can poison the spirit. Ephesians 4:31-32 warns believers to put away bitterness, wrath, and malice while embracing forgiveness and compassion.

That does not mean the film ignores justice. The movie strongly condemns domestic violence and the evil committed by abusive people. Christians should never excuse abuse or injustice. However, the film also challenges viewers to consider whether revenge truly heals wounded hearts. The sisters discover that revenge cannot fully erase trauma, restore innocence, or bring lasting peace.

Another powerful lesson is the importance of identity. The sisters have spent much of their lives defined by what happened to them. Many people today allow pain, failure, abuse, or scars to define who they are. Christianity teaches that our identity should not be rooted in our wounds but in God’s love and redemption. Scars may remain, but scars do not have to become our master.

The film also reminds believers to show compassion toward wounded people. Everyone is fighting battles others cannot see. Some scars are physical. Others are emotional, mental, or spiritual. Too often society judges people by their outward appearance while ignoring the suffering within. Jesus consistently looked beyond external appearances and ministered to broken hearts.

Ultimately, “Is God Is” is less about revenge than it is about pain, survival, and the desperate search for healing after unimaginable suffering. While Christians may struggle with the film’s violence and dark themes, the story still provides opportunities for reflection about forgiveness, generational trauma, justice, and the healing power of God.

The movie reminds us that scars are not always visible — and some of the deepest wounds people carry are hidden beneath the surface.  

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars