Identity (2003) 90m

Director James Mangold
Written by Michael Cooney

John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Jake Busey, Clea DuVall, John Hawkes, John C McGinley, Alfred Molina, , William Lee Scott, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Rebecca DeMornay, Carmen Argenziano, Leila Kenzel, Holmes Osborne, Bret Loehr.

On a stormy night a serial killer (Vince) is having a final stay of execution meeting with his lawyers and a kind Dr (Molina) who argue that he should be spared due to mental insanity.

On the same night eleven strangers find themselves trapped at a secluded motel in the desert, with all roads flooded due to the storm.

One by one they start to be murdered by another killer. As the body count rises, they begin to turn on one another. As the suspects list narrow, it seems that the killer may or may not be as they seem.

This film has an interesting take on the late 90’s early 00’s thriller trope, with an unusual twist in the third act that some may not understand or personally like. I for one quite enjoyed what they did here, it was out of the ordinary, and it remains a memorable thriller.

The ensemble cast all work well together, all either playing to their strengths such as Liotta, or playing a slightly meta version of themselves such as DeMornay, or playing completely against type such as McGinley.

Cusack has proven that he can hold a film, and he plays the likeable ‘hero’ here as he usually does. At a tidy 90m run time, there are only really a few pacing issues throughout, but all in all, a pretty good film.

3/5