Identity

Starring: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes, Alfred Molina, Clea DuVall, John C. McGinley, William Lee Scott, Jake Busey, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Rebecca DeMornay
Directed by: James Mangold
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller, Drama
2003

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Ten travelers all diverge on a small motel during a deluge and seek shelter from the store. Trapped there by flooding, one by one they begin being murdered by some unknown force. Soon they realize that something out of the ordinary is occurring, and they must figure out if they were all really at the same place at the same time by accident, or if there is some hidden purpose.

Review:

Tim: This is an above-average thriller that could have been fantastic if not for a few small flaws. The movie sets the stage brilliantly- ten strangers stranded in a motel during a rainstorm. Slowly, as one by one, they are murdered, a real mystery begins to emerge. Here is where the film is excellent- in the moments when we are left hanging in a state of suspense, wondering how this will all play out. When we get our answers, that is when the film disappoints a bit.

The cast, however, does not disappoint. John Cusack is incredibly cool and likeable. I love him in the role and he single-handedly makes this film worth watching. Ray Liotta and Amanda Peet both give Cusack good support. I really liked Alfred Molina's small but important role. Throw Jake Busey in as a convicted killer, and you have yourself a very good cast.

For the first hour or so, we honestly believe this might be the next great thriller to come along. Cusack does his likeable, cool thing, people die mysteriously, and we wait patiently for all to be revealed to us. The film's conclusion is clever, but somewhat of a letdown. Most of the movie points to some shockingly original ending, and we get a somewhat recycled one, albeit with a slightly different twist that we have not seen before. Thus, we are left with the thought of what could have been, and a slightly better than average thriller.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Silence of the Lambs, Psycho