Rating: 
Summary: Tight clean thriller with good plot twists
Review: Identity is the kind of thriller we haven't seen in a while from Hollywood, the Ten Little Indians scenario where a large group of people are being killed off by an unknown adversary and the suspense level rises until a significant plot twist turns the whole thing on its ear. That's a good movie and Identity, which the exception of some minor hiccups, lives up to it.A good ensemble cast, including John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Rebecca DeMornay, Amanda Peet, and John C. McGinley, provide adequate amounts of star power and tension. Director James Mangold has proven he can handle this type of material and cast as the director of Copland. In this film he takes a limited location, sets his characters up well, and more or less lets things unfold as they will without forcing the issue. The one problem is this - if you remember the commercials for the film that ran on television when it opened, they revealed a very important plot device that doesn't give away the big revelation, but comes damn close. In addition, if you are really paying attention, it's not all that hard to guess what it is. This isn't to say that it takes anything away from the film at all. It's very clever and certainly holds your interest for the duration. An argument could also be made that the ending feels tacked on, but at 90 minutes, there's no wasted scenes or extemperaneous dialogue. The DVD does come with an extended version, as well as commentary from Mangold. An excellent popcorn thriller.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the stupidest films of the past decade
Review: In "Adventures In The Screen Trade" Bill Goldman tells a story about the moment in "The Great Waldo Pepper" where the audience turned on the film, and began to hate it. Once a film loses an audience in a way that makes them hostile, it's impossible to get them back. And so it was with me, and "Identity". Without giving away spoilers it's a little hard for me to describe exactly what it is about this movie that I disliked so intensely, but at its heart my problem is with the central contrivance of the script, which becomes apparent about 20 minutes into the film. The film asks the viewer to speculate on what might or might not be real. The problem with this as a plot device is: if it's not real, do I care what's going on? Superior writers manage to overcome this (for example, Charlie Kaufmann does a pretty bang-up job most of the time with completely unreal scenarios, but it doesn't matter because the purpose of the unreality is to focus the viewer on something else that's important, although he likewise came unstuck in the third act of "Adaptation" for the same reasons). The problem in "Identity" is that the script revolves around trickery that ultimately serves no purpose. If nothing is as it seems, and the characters aren't particularly likeable, and none of this is going toward any larger view, what the heck is the point? "Identity" becomes a very irritating exercise in style. Unfortunately it's not that stylish. The cast can't be faulted - all excellent. And the direction is fine. What a pity the script is so awful. I truly loathed this film.
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Summary: Remember That Movie Charlie Kaufman's Bro Was Writing
Review: in Adaptation? Check it out, it made it to the big screen!
Rating: 
Summary: Cuts Above the Usual Thriller
Review: Interesting thriller. I knew something was unusual about it when it came out but I didn't see it until it showed up on cable. I really like the cast and I think the writing/directing keeps the viewer on track throughout the Twilight Zone-ish ending.
Actually, I found two endings: there's the warm fuzzy ending where someone is spared the death penalty. And then the final ending that says something about the nature of evil. I'd recommend it for people who like big twists like those found in THE SIXTH SENSE or FRAILTY.
Rating: 
Summary: excellent movie !!!!
Review: It was one of the most unique twists I've ever seen . It's one of my personal favorite movie's.
Rating:
Summary: Psychological Thriller Will Have You Guessing!
Review: It's nearly impossible to review James Mangold's latest film, IDENTITY, without revealing the plot twist that makes this very enjoyable thriller 'work'...and since the director chose not to reveal it, himself, until the film was nearly over, I'll respect his vision, and not give it away! Two story lines unfold; in one, psychiatrist Alfred Molina has a final session with convicted serial killer Pruitt Taylor Vince, before execution. Despite the defense claiming insanity, the court ruled against it, and the bitterness towards the murderer, and satisfaction the prosecution feels about justice being served are clearly evident, making Molina's task a nearly impossible one. In the other, a chain of events strands a group of motorists together at a seedy motel, run by John Hawkes (who is excellent as the sleazy manager) during a storm. Composed of a hooker (Amanda Peet), who, with a lost shoe, began the chain; a nerdish husband (John C. McGinley), his wife, seriously injured after being struck by a car, and his stepson; the chauffeur (John Cusack) who struck the woman, and his passenger, a fading movie star (Rebecca DeMornay, who is nearly unrecognizable); a bickering young couple (Clea DuVall and William Lee Scott); and a marshal, transporting a killer (Ray Liotta and Jake Busey). With the roads flooded and phone lines down, the group is isolated...then, in a fashion similar to Agatha Christie's TEN LITTLE INDIANS, people begin to die! It becomes a race against time to discover who the murderer is... The two story lines intertwine in a very surprising manner, making IDENTITY far superior to the 'by-the-numbers' gore-fests that pass themselves off as 'suspense', with the climactic twist a stunning revelation that is VERY effective! If you like your films challenging, you're in for a treat...IDENTITY delivers!
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Summary: THis one should be called "STUPIDITY" - (spoils here)
Review: Man, this is mean. After watching for almost one hour a group of people being slaughtered one by one in a cheap motel during a thunderstorm, we reach the conclusion that the killer can not be one of the four remaining survivor up till this point. And, surprise, it's really not! Why? Because nothing that happened in the last hour was real! Yes, that's right! All of that was happening inside the mind of highly mentally sick killer, who had "multiple characters" inside himself, some of them good, some of them bad and one very bad, a real serial killer. In order to not be executed, the judge must be convinced that the very bad one does not exist anymore. So, who is the killer is simply not an issue anymore! That's righ! You'll feel like a suck..r after watching the turn of events. And, by that, it will be too late to turn off your DVD, so you'll end up watching it until the end, anyway, while the writers, the actors, the director and the producers will be laughing their ars..s off.
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Summary: Made me feel like an idiot...
Review: OK. They tried to make something really different here. But making a wild turn next to the ending of the film, a turn that made clear that all that happened before a lie (or a kind of dream) was inexcusable, absurd, and made me feel like an idiot. (maybe that was the intention of the producers...) Technically, the movie is very good, and acting is top notch (except by the father of the little guy. Watch his expression of "disbelief" when he sees a victim that had a baseball bat stuff into his throat.... But, even feeling a kind og guilty pleasure watching this movie, I can not help but feeling cheated.
Rating:
Summary: Edge of your seat -- but don't give away the ending!
Review: One of the best psychological thrillers made since Jacob's Ladder. This ensemble cast is perfectly blended to offer the right mix of fresh talent (Amanda Peet and Jake Busey) and seasoned veterans (Ray Liota, Alfred Molina and John Cusak) along with Rebecca DeMornay. You will be drawn in with the rhythmic poetry recited in the opening scenes and once the story begins at the desert Motel, you are absolutely riveted. There are key clues throughout to sort of clue you in to the shock at the end, but don't ruin it by talking to others about it! Watching the director's commentary is helpful on the DVD, explaining odd scenes and intricate story lines to the viewer. This movie is one you will want to watch more than once or twice. You get most of the plot only superficially the first time watching, and only on the the second and third go around will you say, "AH HA! Now this makes sense!" IDENTITY is also John Cusak's tour de force, a superb job here in a performance you will not soon forget. Top notch entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: UTTER NONSENSE
Review: One of the characters in this horrid film actually has the temerity to compare what is happening to them to Ms. Christie's classic, Ten Little Indians! This movie is confusing, unbelievable and trite. Let me see if I can dispense this film, obviously launched to acquire money from the less discerning in our population,in a paragraph or so. The first 100 minutes of the film you can skip. It transpires that all the mayhem, and blood-letting, unconvincing, at the hotel really didnt happen! It was all imagined by this chap about to be executed for multiple murders.H e convinces those taking him o the xecution area, as well as the legal and psychiatric authorities, that he is no longer a danger since now he oly imagines bad things. Maybe he didnt take his medication that day, but on the way to the prison for the criminally insane he murders everyone in the car, and shortly thereafterwards sends one of his manifest identities, a young boy, to strangle an attractive girl her Florida garden. Apparently, the screenweriter was not satisfied with imaginary characters buried in the synopses of the psychotic killer, but with a Stephen King-like enthusiasm, made it possible for the killer to created these personalities in flesh and blood. I don't think this is clininically possible, and I have poured over the DSM -I-IV, of the AMA.If there were such an entity, it would certainly be a challenge to treat. Since all that happened at the hotel was imaginary, I don't feel that I should have to describe that action. I will say this, altough I'm sure such a nuance point was not in the mind of the director or screenwriter, he lack of plot, craziness, inconsistencies, symbol objects such as a key,the curious amount of rain in Nevada, killings, does point to the imaginary ramblings of psychotic killer. I'm going back to Hitchcock; I've had enough of this. The lst thriller I viewed that was realistic was Sea of Love. If you have not seen this get it, anvailable trough amazon. One final irritation. This movie had many opportunities for laugh-out loud wicecracks and jokes. Try turning this movie down and providing your own dialogue. It will be hilarious!
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