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This movie totally surprised me on every level. I had never even heard of it until recently; when an observant video store clerk noticed how many thrillers I was hiring and suggested it.

Having missed it at the movies, I figured it would be the usual B-grade mystery murder flick, a bit of fun at best. Instead this movie had me hooked from the opening sequence; I almost thought they'd put the wrong DVD in the box!

The story is like one big twisted, turning tunnel- with barely a glimmer of a light at the end. The cast is great, the setting appropriately scary- with no short measure of red herrings to keep you guessing.

The cast really delivers too; the characters are diverse and given enough attention to keep you engaged but not so much as to slow the action down. John Cusack is in fine form as the easily likable ex-cop trying to hold it all together; Jake Busey plays the psychotic to perfection as usual.

I don't usually go in for gore, but there's really barely more than a few hints of blood & guts. Definitely one to watch in the dark with a group of friends to scare the hell out of yourselves. You won't regret this one.

The movie centers a motley group who are looking for shelter in a deserted motel , being caught up in a severe rainstorm and stuck at the strange place , located in the desolate Nevada. They are strangers from all different walks of life : a limousine driver escorting a tarnished television star, parents with a young son whose marriage is broken , a policeman transporting a dangerous convict, a gorgeous call girl, a pair of young newlyweds, and a nervous motel manager are shut themselves up during a rainy night . But , the hosts have been murdered one by one . Who's the killer ?.

The film is a fascinating whodunit, we have got really intrigued from start to finish . The storyline has a twisted plot and the final has an extraordinary surprise.

The flick is inspired by Agatha Christie's classic novel : ¨Ten little indians¨ that has several cinematic adaptations.

In the movie there is suspense , thriller, noisy action , emotion and a little bit gore when the assassinations happen.

All the cast is nice, but interpretations from Rebecca Mornay and Pruitt Taylor Vince are specially riveting . Alan Silvestri musical score and Papamichael cinematography are atmospheric and adequate. It was shot on a huge sound stage at Sony studios in Culver City . Decent direction by the notable filmmaker James Mangold (Logan, Walk the line , Kate and Leopold, Heavy).

Rating 7/10 , above average

I've never before seen a film that made me sit on the edge of my seat practically from the opening credits. And I never got to sit back.

This was a psychological thriller of the best type. There is plenty of opportunity for you to nominate the "bad guy" and while you may be right in a sense you will probably also be wrong. The ending is a real shocker - and I suspect that the typical reaction of many viewers is to say "No way" - but if you think about it, it is the only possible ending. But you have to think about it - and the film is so action-filled that you never have time. SO the realization must come after the closing credits roll.

I'd never seen John Cusack in anything but a comedy before (except for a film called "Max", but I saw that before I knew who Cusack was). He pulled off drama equally as well as he does comedy. An impressive talent.

And an impressive film.

I want to start off by saying the postives.

• the first half of the film is really interesting and good
• the characters and cast is amazing
• the realization of the characters true selves is ironicly good
• very interesting and dramatic scenes at least in the first half
• the whole plot idea is unique

Now for the negatives which ultimately makes this film not half as good as people say.

• the 2nd half of the film is really bad
• the ending is given away half way through and you know that everything your watching is fake leaving little imagination or suspense towards the end
• there is no twist and the plot seems to end way too quickly. Then there's 30 mins of the film where your just waiting for it to end because you already have expierenced the plot twist and its now anti climactic.
• the murders are hard to follow and are not very exciting at all
• there's way too many "convenient" scenes that is caused by crappy writing. Oh the blonde girl opens the door and can only see the shadow of the murderer so nobody still knows who the killer is, pathetic.
• too many random things happen that were not foreshadowed at all and is just more lazy writing. Why did the car blow up randomly without any foreshadowing whatsoever?
• the ending isn't a twist and is really anti climactic and cheesy. All suspense is lost and with the typical last scene just leaves no satisfaction for the viewer at all.

Summary: The first half was really interesting and really promising. All to be let down by a really crappy ending and 2nd half. There's too much lazy writing, typical and cheesy scenes that make this a lowsy 6/10 for me. Not the type of movie that deserves this much praise.

To be honest I didnt want to watch this movie but it was my wifes turn to choose so I had no choice. After 20 minuites into the movie I was so glad it wasnt my turn to choose. This movie was absolutely fantastic. The Premise as you will read here on IMDB or on the back of the dvd in the shop/rental store seemed very lame to me but I was so wrong.

It starts off as a classic "Whodunnit" movie but then flips and twists on its head so many times your left astounded. I cannot imagine anyone who would not enjoy this movie, It keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end and I loved every minuite of it. Throw in an all star cast (Cusack and Liotta are fantastic here) And you have one Hell of a movie.

10/10

You Have to watch this, Trust Me :)

"Identity" is a film that weaves an intricate web of suspense, masterfully led by John Cusack's compelling performance. As viewers, we are taken on a psychological roller coaster, filled with the twists and turns that define a great thriller. Cusack, known for his ability to embody complex characters, leaves us in a state of perpetual wonder-questioning each clue and doubting every revelation.

Plot: The movie unfolds like a dark and stormy night, perfect for those Saturday afternoons when you crave a mystery that keeps you guessing. It cleverly plays with the concept of identity itself, pushing the audience to consider what truly defines us.

Pacing: While the narrative is generally engaging, there are moments where the tension wanes and the pace slows down-a minor hiccup in an otherwise tightly wound plot.

Overall Experience: Despite these brief lulls, "Identity" stands out as an exemplary thriller. It doesn't just entertain; it ensnares you in its puzzle, demanding your attention until its final, satisfying piece is placed.

Whether you're a fan of Cusack or simply love a good mind-bender, "Identity" promises to deliver. Just be prepared for the slow burn-it only makes the eventual payoff all the more thrilling.

A+

Every so often I like to go into films knowing very little about them. It's gratifying not hearing any news stories, or Internet rumors, or early reviews before you see a film because you can genuinely feel surprised by every passing minute of it. In the case of Identity, I only saw a trailer for it once in theatres and I saw various TV spots before its release, but other than that I knew nothing about the core of the story. I went in with no preconceived notions or opinions. For a change I was being a submissive film viewer.

After the credits rolled (by the way I rarely stay until the end of the credits) I was so amazed and surprised by the film that I had just experienced. Identity is a highly original, beautifully constructed, and a mildly scary film that will (excuse my language) do a serious mind f*** on your brain.

The less you know about Identity's plot, the better. This is the kind of film you need to go into knowing very little about. There are a few twists, plenty of scares, and also a very surprising ending that will have some people disappointed, or praising its creativity. I'm definitely in the latter on this one.

Identity is also a masterpiece of atmosphere. Something that I think is the most important aspect of any movie in this genre. Whether it's Halloween, setting the scene for small town horror, or The Ring, drenching us in very dark and Gothic scenery, atmosphere is what makes or breaks a horror film. Thankfully Identity succeeds by creating an atmosphere that is truly frightening and visually impressive. The motel is a perfect setting for the proceedings that take place throughout the night.

A nice ensemble cast rounds out Identity's many incredible attributes. John Cusack gives a very good performance as Ed. Cusack has always been good at playing the 'everyday normal guy' and he uses this to great effect here. It's a layered performance that offers some surprises throughout the picture.

The other high profile performer is the always-reliable Ray Liotta as Rhodes. Liotta never seems to disappoint whenever he's performing, even in sub-par material. He's just as good as he usually is in this picture and he uses his sometimes-abrasive personality to its utmost potential.

Amanda Peet gives her best performance to date as Paris. She has some nice moments where she's allowed sprinkle some comic relief throughout an otherwise dreary picture. However, when she's required to exhibit real fear, she is more than capable. She also shares some good scenes with Cusack during a few key moments in the film.

Clea Duvall and William Lee Scott supply some youth and tenacity as Ginny and Lou. Duvall probably has the role typically called the 'scream queen role' in most horror films and she does well with what she's given. There were times that I could genuinely feel her fear. Scott is given less to do as Lou but he does have some good scenes with Duvall that requires a decent amount of emotion.

John Hawkes and John C. McGinley are also adequate in supporting roles. Hawkes is given a fair share of the comedic lines and for the most part he plays the part well. McGinley fairs better as the husband who must tend for his injured wife and social inadequate stepson. If I felt sympathy for anyone the most, it was his character.

Rebecca Demornay is given very little to do as the failed movie actress but there are some funny jokes made at her expense as one character asks her 'didn't you used to be that actress?' This is some clever commentary on Demornay's obviously fledgling career. The same can be said for Jake Busey as the convict, who is given little to do and seems out of place when paired with the more talented actors in the picture.

What's important is the work these actors do when they're all together. This is very much an ensemble and they play off each other's fear. Their reactions to these situations make the picture all the more frightening.

On the other end of the story, Alfred Molina brings a bit of substance to his role, despite have limited screen time as the psychiatrist and Pruitt Taylor Vance will shock, amaze, and terrify you as the murderer waiting for his execution. Vance's portrayal is very frightening, and an ultimately brilliant performance. Given the limited screen time he does a lot with the role.

Identity is filled with secrets, surprises, and scares that will have moviegoers talking for quite some time. Much like The Ring it has the potential to have some word of mouth appeal. However, don't listen too much to what people have to say about it because it's best to experience this modern masterpiece of fear, knowing very little about it. I guarantee you will be surprised.

Very few times have I been more excited to see a film than I was to see Identity. With the healthy revival of the horror genre in the last few years, film makers have been doing it right more times than I can remember since the early 80's. I think The Ring has set the bar so high for so many films that now writers are trying to do the next great thing to scare the hell out of you. And every film has a shocking twist to it now a days as well. Think back to films like The Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects, Fight Club and a few others and it seems that everyone is now trying to give us the next great twisted film. Whatever works I guess. The only danger of that mentality is that when you market a film like the way Identity was marketed, you better make sure that your twist pays off and doesn't make the audience feel cheated. I read Roger Ebert's review of The Usual Suspects and one of the reasons why he didn't like the film all too well is because he felt that the twist was so truculent, so brash and so unexpected that he felt cheated. There was no way that he could figure it out and he felt that the creators of the film didn't play fair with it's audience. While I do not agree with that assessment of The Usual Suspects, I do understand what he was complaining about because that is how I felt here. The twist is so unexpected, so convoluted and so unfair that when it did happen, I looked at my wife and said, "What the hell...are you serious?" And from that point on ( and there was still about 15 minutes left in the film), I just couldn't enjoy what I was watching. I just couldn't buy into what they were asking me to accept. Without giving away the film, a good comparison perhaps is to say that if you were told that your two best friends were in a fist fight and you had to stop them from hurting each other, but then found out that it was all spurious expose, would you really fear for their safety or would you watch with a crooked grin on your face?

Identity is a film that is blessed with a plethora of excellent horror film elements. You have ten strangers that all seem to have some sort of connection. It is a dark and stormy night and the small area in Nevada that they are in is going through a torrential storm. It is flooding the roads so that everyone has to take refuge at a dingy looking Batesesque looking motel. The film starts out beautifully with a terrible car accident that may have been triggered by one of the other patrons when she lost some of her luggage on the road which caused the flat tire and this caused the accident. Everyone seems to be meeting by suspiciously conspicuous circumstances. What they all have in common and why they are all here is the million dollar question.

Soon everyone is settled into the rooms but other eerie events just keep popping up all over the place. And then finally someone dies. And in a most heinous of ways. She has her head cut off and placed in a dryer. Pretty gruesome stuff. But what is the significance of everyone being here and why can't they get out? It is almost like they have been brought here by some mystical force and it is keeping them here. Radios don't work, cars won't start, the storm is flooding everything except the motel and to make matters worse, there is a psychotic prisoner chained to the bathroom wall in one of the rooms. Add to the story that they all share the same birthday, some strange names and the you now have one seriously confusing film. And that is where the films stops being suspenceful and confusing and it heads into the absurd.

There are enough red herrings introduced in the film as well to throw you off of the real deal but some of those red herrings would have made a more compelling story than they one that the writer's want us to believe. But what does keep the film flowing is the actors. With a film blessed with a cast that includes Amanda Peet, Ray Liotta and John Cusack, there is never a dull moment. Cusack carries the film and every second he is on screen he makes you listen. He has come such a long way from his days in films like Sixteen Candles and The Sure Thing. I have never seen him better than he is here.

But ultimately what transpires in the last half hour of the film is what put me off. That is not to say that it will put a typical viewer off the film off, it probably won't. I have talked to many people that saw the film and loved it. They liked the twist, they liked the outcome and they liked how it all played out. I can't really tell you why I didn't care for it, but I just didn't. And this is coming from a guy that loved the twist in Fight Club, Sixth Sense and The Usual Suspects. Go figure. Maybe I didn't feel cheated in those films the way I felt cheated here.

6.5 out of 10

Maybe the best thing to do is just judge for yourself.

I have watched this film a bunch of times and I'm never disappointed, even though I clearly know what is going on and who is responsible!

To be fair, I usually give it a year or so between viewings, just to give me enough time to be not totally sure I remember it in full. That's getting way harder now, but that's ok.

It's dark, it's raining all the time, it's so corny in places you think who wrote this, a child? There's loads going on to distract you and it has a stellar cast. It's one of those films I envy people watching it for the first time.

If you've not seen it, rectify that pronto! And then watch it a bunch more times to really savour it!

Good mystery movie to watch it is a edge of the seat good direction and great performance from all characters the movie is one of the favourites.

For a start,i would like to say that this film is worth seeing.It is one of the best psychological thrillers that exist so i highly recommend to those who like this kind of movies.The plot was very nice,the twist also and the cast outstanding.Cusack,Liotta,Peet and Hawkes did their best and the result was excellent.I liked a lot the flashbacks that were made -mostly in the beginning. Furthermore,the idea of the whole film was terrific.On the other hand,speaking frankly there was an excessive gore and emphasis on the murders that didn't impress me;a big part of the movie was "dedicated" to murders.Another thing that i didn't like was the continuous rain that made me feel tired,seeing again again the storm. Moreover,what i liked most-contrary to many people- was the end of the movie.It was unpredictable and,besides that,it is one of the few thrillers that you cannot find out the end easily.It was very interesting and made me sit tight on my couch .If you don't pay attention for a while you will "get lost". I should not forget to refer to the hot presence of Peer that embellished the movie apart from her casting abilities. Lastly,you should make sure that you will be 100% concentrated on the film in order to understand what is happening cause i regard it as one of the most difficult movies to understand.It is certain that this film will dominate you with mystery and in parallel make you think a lot of things that will be predicted wrong in the end. I would give 9 -at least- out of 10 to Identity.

The ending killed the cool atmosphere the film made

Identity is a "whodunit" with a twist tight enough to make your head spin. Its somewhat simplistic plotline turns 180 degrees in a satisfying way, showing that there is more to this killing spree than meets the eyes. It didn't get that many recognitions, though, and that might be because of the sort of beat-down cast.

The story follows 10 strangers stranded on a motel because of a huge storm. Though they seem unconnected, they must get strength in numbers when, one by one, someone is murdering them. It's the classic "who the hell is doing this" that keeps you going, and fans of mystery will find rejoice by that fact alone.

But there is a bit more to this movie.

The story also introduces a series of scenes between a Judge, Prosecution, and Defense, the latter in a final appeal to avoid death sentence to a murderer who, seemingly, is the one that is killing the strangers in the hotel. It is not clear rather we are in the past or in the future, and that is a nice touch to this flick by James Mangold, written by Michael Cooney.

The writer didn't release that many gems, Identity probably being his magnus work.

Now James Mangold is well known for some bangers (always questionable, of course): Ford v. Ferrari, Logan, but by the time he directed Identity, he had on his repertoire Girl, Interrupted, and Cop Land, I guess shy from mainstream, but solid flicks. He is no stranger to making solid movies, and Identity shows his guidance pretty well.

The cast is strong, which I think justifies the budged invested in this movie, considering that the setting is an average motel, and there is little to none CGI, so the money was to pay the actors and the crew, the latter, of course, underpaid one would think. Identity grossed 3 times its budget, a fair prize for the entry.

Back to the casting, we have John Cusack, lead actor portraying Ed, a limo driver stuck in this mess after getting involved in a car accident.

Ray Lyotta, a deteriorating actor as Rhodes, a cop transporting a murderer.

Jake Busey, the murderer that Rhodes is transporting.

Amanda Peet, trying-hard-as-she-can actress as Paris, a prostitute that wants a career change for good.

John Hawkes, a consolidated actor as Larry, the motel owner that just wants to score big.

John McGinley, another consolidated actor as Dr. York, a husband and father with some loose screws on his head.

Alfred Molina, Dr. Otto Octavius but now as Dr. Malick, the doctor trying to prove that the one murderer is actually fit for a mental institution rather than the needle.

You get the point that the casting is strong to some extent, a group of consolidated and powerful actors, each one portraying a character that is trying to take lead somehow.

The story itself is pretty nice, eerie from the start, which should give you a good hint to the plot twist at the end that makes you go "wow! Good one." You might feel a bit cheated, but it's like when your partner lies to you to, all of the sudden, tells you that you are to get a new baby or a puppy - wonderful but it comes with the bother of responsibility. Identity pushes the twist element to the limit with the audience, but I think it worked out in the end, delivering a satisfying experience, and, after understanding the twist, an expected and well-thought ending.

If you like mystery thrillers, this one is for you. The final twist is potentially a mix-bag to some people, but a solid 7.3 on IMDb, 75% popcornmeter on Rotten, in 2024, shows that the movie holds itself on.