This is based on an award-winning, off-Broadway play by Aleshea Harris who has since been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Not long after being a finalist for the Pulitzer, she began the process of adapting her own stage production, as writer and director. It's funny because during the same month of this film's release, only two weeks prior, RZA's One Spoon of Chocolate (2026) was released, which was presented by Quentin Tarantino and very much felt like a throwback to the blaxploitation flicks of the 1970's. It's funny because in many ways Harris' film also feels like it could be in that vein. Harris' work could also be a Tarantino-like, elevated blaxploitation throwback. This point is underlined because Vivica A. Fox is part of the cast of actors here. Fox was famously in Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), which is about an avenging angel. Harris' film is also about an avenging angel. In fact, it's about two, avenging angels who are fraternal twins, going after their father. Instead of Kill Bill, it's "Kill Daddy!"
Kara Young (I'm a Virgo and Master) stars as Racine, a young Black woman who has a twin sister. When we first see Racine, we only see the back of her head, but we see her sitting with her sister in a school playground. She's probably only 9 or 10. When other kids call them ugly, particularly her sister, Racine grabs a weapon and beats up those other kids. Racine is therefore known as the "rough one." She has a violent streak. She is especially violent when it comes to protecting her sister.
Mallori Johnson (Vladimir and Kindred) co-stars as Anaia, the twin sister of Racine. She's known as the "quiet one." She doesn't have the violent streak or violent impulses that Racine has. She might have the same long, partially blonde braids that her sister has. She might have similar speaking patterns. She might have the ability to communicate telepathically with her sister. She pretty much spends all of her time with her twin, except for the times where she apparently has a boyfriend, but her personality is more shy and more reserved. She leans toward making peace and not making war, even when it comes to the people who have abused her or abused people she loves.
Anaia is more introverted because of what happened to her. Both she and Racine were abused. Both grew up in foster care and were put into homes that were abusive or neglectful. They went from foster home to foster home, at least four homes. The reason they went into foster care is because their father attempted to kill their mother, which resulted in both Racine and Anaia being horribly scarred and not just emotionally or psychologically but also physically. Anaia literally has scars on her face, which is why people call her ugly. These insults have obviously been hurtful and have caused her to be quiet. When the opportunity comes for them to get revenge on their father, Racine is all for it, but Anaia questions, if vengeance is the right path.
Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction and Black Panther) also co-stars as Racine and Anaia's unnamed father. He's described as a "monster," a man against whom the twins' mother had to get a restraining order. He was clearly physically violent and abusive to the twins' mother, played by Vivica A. Fox. Calling him a misogynist would be an understatement. Calling him a psychopath would be another understatement. However, being a monster doesn't negate the fact that he was able to get away with his crimes and start a new life, and he had help doing so. At first, like Kill Bill or even Promising Young Woman (2020), another film about an avenging angel, I thought this film would be Racine and Anaia getting revenge on the people who helped their father get away with his crimes, assisted him or benefited from his actions, ending with the father as the final boss.
The film does go down that road, so to speak, but, at first, it's not. The first half or even two-thirds of the film is more a contemplation or a rumination on the idea of revenge and using violence as a solution, as well as again the idea, that's oft explored in many revenge tales, of being if one seeks revenge, dig two graves. That idea isn't on the surface, as is the idea that the struggle is whether or not killing is ever truly the answer and if one can or should back away from it. There's also an angle of whether God is a vengeful one and if following such a God is a good thing. There's also this idea of inherited violence and how one should respond to threats or troubles. There's also elements here of whether or not one should give people the benefit of the doubt or even second chances. Given the level of abuses or crimes, Harris' answer, particularly when it comes to these put-upon Black women, is no!
What we learn is that Racine and Anaia are not the only twins. Xavier Mills (Chad Powers and Forever) and Justen Ross (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist and Somebody Somewhere) play Scotch and Riley, twin brothers that get in the way of Racine and Anaia's revenge trip. They end up being reflections or echoes of who Racine and Anaia are in a twisted way. Not because of them, but after Racine and Anaia encounter them, I realized that this film also reminded me of Jason's Lyric (1994), which is about two brothers who had an abusive father who attacked their mother. That film is about how their issues with that father diverted the two siblings into two different personalities and two different directions. Jason's Lyric was a love story, whereas this film is a revenge tale but both films are about how an abusive father can create schisms between African American siblings, resulting in deadly consequences.
Harris' film includes a small ensemble of really great actors who round out the cast in brilliant or spectacular ways. At the top of that list is Erika Alexander who is one of those low-key, legendary Black actresses who doesn't get her due as much as she should, given her impressive career, mainly in television, for 40 years. Coincidentally or not, Alexander recently worked with Sterling K. Brown in the Oscar-winning American Fiction (2023). Mykelti Williamson is also a low-key, legendary Black actor who has had a career that's nearly 50 years old. He's been in almost every TV show that has ever been. His presence is incredible, but he doesn't shine as much as Alexander or Janelle Monáe (Moonlight and Hidden Figures) who plays the stepmother to Racine and Anaia.
Rated R for strong, bloody violence and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 39 mins.
In theaters.
