Indentity (2003)

Director: James Mangold

Starring: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Jake Busey, Rebecca De Mornay

More Info: IMDB

Tagline: The secret lies within.

Plot: Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rainstorm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one.






My Rating: 8/10

Would I watch it again? Yup

I just watched this for the second time and even though it loses a little bit
of it's shock value with the end it still holds up as a great little
horror/thriller.



I'm not big on spoilers so I'll keep this free but it's going to be short. The movie's filled with character stereotypes but by the end you're totally OK with it when the reason is revealed. I love how the film is almost entirely set at night in a rain storm. It makes for a fantastic atmosphere. For all intents and purposes it's another story of Ten Little Indians, with each of the 10 unexpected secluded motel guests being murdered one by one. Throw in the side plot of a convicted mass murderer who's hours away from execution and you've got IDENTITY.

I recall first seeing this years ago and getting to the part where one of the "guests" says the explanation of the killings could be that the motel is located on an ancient Indian burial ground. If I hadn't been captivated by the film at that point I would have likely turned it off. I hate crap like that. I stayed with it and was glad I did. After it was all over and re-thinking the film I realized the reason for that scene's inclusion and it ks - once you know the entire story.

It's great fun and the performances are good. John Cusack is great as usual nd it's always fun to see the underrated Ray Liotta. His character's got a great little back story, too. Alan Silvestri provides a suitable score. It's not his fault, I'm sure, but the director's by including one or two "jump" scare shots where the music bursts suddenly when something jumps out t you. It's the cheapest and easiest scare tactic in film making and it pisses me off to see it used so liberally in films. There's a solid story and direction here and I don't think that they needed to lower themselves to using this tactic. Knowing the full story I can forgive them for it "IF" they used it not for a scare but because it's a stereotypical horror device hich would fit the big picture.



There's an "alternate ending" on the DVD but all we could tell was there were a few very minor additions that hardly constitutes calling it an alternate ending. It's the same ending but with more padding. There's still the director's commentary to check out. I'm not rushing to hear it but I expect could find it interesting.


Although this film has character stereotypes, plot devices and film making techniques for a horror film, it's anything but. It feels like a typical Hollywood horror/thriller but they're just playing with the conventions of the genre and with you, the audience. This one's fun.