Identity

Identity, starring Tovino Thomas, is a technically impressive film that offers an engaging start. The movie hooks you right from the beginning with its gripping narrative and outstanding technical aspects, especially the music by Jakes Bejoy, which elevates the intensity of the scenes.

The first half is a treat-tight, thrilling, and supported by a strong cast. Tovino shines throughout, with his action sequences and the car chase standing out as highlights of the film. The layers in the story are commendable as the movie attempts to address several important issues, showcasing depth and ambition.

However, as the movie progresses, the pace takes a hit. The second half feels overstuffed with complex narratives and too many viewpoints, leaving viewers feeling exhausted and occasionally lost. While the intention to create a multilayered story is clear, the excessive writing and overwhelming content dilute the impact. The complexity becomes the film's biggest drawback, making it harder for the audience to stay connected.

Despite its flaws, Identity deserves appreciation for its ambition, technical brilliance, and Tovino's compelling performance. If the storytelling in the latter half had been more streamlined, it could have been an exceptional thriller.

Verdict: A bold and technically excellent movie that falters under the weight of its overambitious narrative. Worth watching for the first half and Tovino's stellar action scenes.

A Gripping Start, A Confusing Descent: The first half of this movie is undeniably gripping and engaging. It pulls you in with a compelling story and keeps you hooked with its suspenseful atmosphere. The pacing is excellent, and the characters are intriguing enough to hold your attention.

However, the second half takes a dramatic turn for the worse. In an apparent attempt to deliver unexpected twists and surprises, the writer seems to have derailed the narrative. The plot becomes increasingly convoluted and confusing, leaving the viewer feeling disoriented and ultimately unsatisfied.

While the initial promise of the film is undeniable, the second half unfortunately diminishes its overall impact. I'd recommend waiting for this semi-thriller to arrive on OTT platforms. The first half is definitely worth experiencing, but the second half might leave you feeling disappointed.

Overall: * Strengths: Gripping first half, engaging pacing, intriguing characters.

* Weaknesses: Confusing second half, convoluted plot, underwhelming twists.

* Recommendation: Wait for OTT release. Enjoy the first half, and be prepared for a potential letdown in the second.

In many ways, Identity is technically superior to Forensic and boasts some interesting characters (like that of Tovino's and Trisha's). But the "hack" writing that somewhat derailed Akhil Paul & Anas Khan's previous venture is a major drawback here too. This is a film with several twists and turns, though none of them pack a serious punch. It's almost as if the writers knew this beforehand, so they've tried their best to salvage it in the making. As such, we're treated to some slick action blocks, both on land and in the air. Most of the exposition has a Wikipedia-reading feel to it, packed with a little too much info. Sure, it helps provide additional context, but do we really need SO MANY characters and subplots to get to the rather obvious conclusion?

The technical aspects are commendable - Yannick Ben and Phoenix Prabhu effectively crack the stunts, DoP Akhil George captures the leads and proceedings stunningly, and Jakes Bejoy delivers a killer score (though a bit reminiscent of Forensic). Visual effects are also largely decent (with the exception Aju Varghese's moustache). The screenplay could've gone in interesting directions, especially with respect to Trisha's character. But when the focus shifts to Tovino's Haran Shankar (sketch-artist-turned-whatever), the film starts faltering big time. I think the writer-director duo needs to ensure that their next screenplay is fat-free, unnecessary-characters-free, and most importantly, uses non-linearity only if it amps up the (actual) thrill quotient.

IDENTITY brings a unconventional narrative though the plot is rather slender. The screenplay skillfully keeps the suspense alive but fails to maintain engagement for most of its runtime. While some moments do lag with the slow pace narration, some are crafted with sheer brilliance and pulse-pounding excitement. Few plot twists add intrigue and keep the audience guessing but others feel forced and perplexing.

Trisha is an undeniable powerhouse of talent and beauty but her character isn't explored to its full depth, her performance is nuanced, authentic, and compelling. However, her styling and makeup could have been more refined.

Tovino, in the lead role, delivers a pitch-perfect performance, embodying his character with charisma and conviction. Supporting actors like Vinay Rai and Shammi are equally commendable, each bringing distinct energy to their roles, making the ensemble cast stand out.

The cinematography experiments with inventive shot compositions and lighting, yielding a visually dynamic experience in parts. While not consistently striking, the overall visual tone is effective.

The action sequences are choreographed with precision, exuding style and intensity.

The background score deserves applause for setting the right tone, seamlessly elevating the narrative.

Production design complements the story well, adding authenticity to the world-building.

Directors Anas Khan and Akhil Paul deliver a polished film that often feels like a Hollywood venture, thanks to its slick execution and ambitious vision.

Right from its announcement, I was intrigued to watch this on the big screen, yet I missed it due to fewer shows in Mumbai. Now, I'm glad I didn't spend money on it.

A suspense thriller where police officers hunt down a twisted criminal with the help of a lone eyewitness and a sketch artist. With many twists in the tale, there's much more to the crime than meets the eye. But will they nab the real culprit?

Suspense dramas make for a riveting watch, but there's a thin line between maintaining suspense and creating confusion. This film blurs that line, leaving you scratching your head in confusion and disconnecting you from the main plot. With excessive name-dropping and disjointed incidents, it becomes a mess. It takes almost half the movie to make sense of it all. The screenplay is haphazardly written, making you restless and even bored at times.

Tovino Thomas brings his A-game, only to be let down by weak writing. Vinay Rai gets a meatier role and does a good job. Trisha Krishnan's appearance in a Malayalam film created hype, but this is one of the worst choices she could have made-her role is poorly written, with no screen time or substance to perform. In their limited scope, Archana Kavi, Aju Varghese, Shammi Thilakan, and others are decent.

The BGM works in the movie's favor, creating a sense of eagerness. However, the suspense isn't something that will leave you shocked-it's predictable, and you can guess some twists from a distance. Logic also takes a backseat at many junctures. Tovino's backstory makes no sense, and many developments in the movie seem to exist just for the sake of it. Midway, everything seems resolved, yet the movie starts again with a new plot, testing your patience.

At 150 minutes, this below-average film could have been improved significantly by trimming the last 30 minutes for a better impact. With such a good cast and a promising premise, this is a missed opportunity. Watch it for the leads or your love for the genre-otherwise, there's not much else.

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