A review by John Chard

Written by John Chard on 2019-05-03

His story's so unbelievable, I think it just might be true. Identity is directed by James Mangold and written by Michael Cooney. It stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amada Peet, Clea DuVall, Rebecca De Mornay, Alfred Molina, John Hawkes, John C. McGinley, Jake Busey and Pruitt Taylor Vince. Music is by Alan Silvestri and cinematography by Phedon Papamichael Jr. Inspired by Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians, Identity pitches 10 characters trapped at a motel who begin getting killed off one by one... If you are going to do yet another take on Christies superb literary source then at least bring some freshness, so how nice to find that Identity does in fact ironically have its own. Set up is suitably in keeping with murder mystery shenanigans, there’s major flooding and our host of characters are bound to a shabby motel run by a shabby John Hawkes. On the edges of the frame we have another story where multiple killer Malcolm Rivers (the wonderful wobbly eyed P.T. Vince) is under interrogation to test for insanity to stave off his impending execution. Mangold uses flashbacks to put the various characters at the motel, in how they came to be there. There’s a creative ambitiousness about how Mangold constructs the pic that draws you in, which come the finale will either have you satiated or stupefied. The murder sequences are very well put together, with a couple being well ghoulish, and it’s a very impressive cast of actors working their way through the formulaic but fascinatingly cheat free psychological murk. It’s not as smart as it thinks it is but this has enough of an absorbing pull, and no little intelligence, to lift it higher than many other Agatha 10 copies. 7/10

A review by light_michael

Written by light_michael on 2019-08-22

It's one of my favorites, I rate it four stars and a half.

A review by mooney240

Written by mooney240 on 2022-08-19

**Overall : One of the best plot twists I have ever seen!** Identity masterfully surprises and misleads every step of the way. What seems to be a run-of-the-mill slasher flick at a rundown motel on a stormy night is anything but average. With incredibly clever writing, Identity is a wild ride that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Even if you are a pro at guessing who the killer is or catching plot twists before they happen, you will be shocked again and again by the twists and turns Identity takes. While it isn't a perfect movie, its creativity and rare brilliance make Identity a must-see film.

A review by SoSmooth1982

Written by SoSmooth1982 on 2023-07-04

Awesome movie. One of my favorites. Very suspenseful. Keeps you interested till the end. The only thing that sucks is once you watch it once, it ruins to watch it again cause you know exactly what's going on. Worth a watch for sure.

A review by Dr_Nostromo

Written by Dr_Nostromo on 2025-11-16

96/100 The story revolves around a group of people trapped in a desert motel that start dying off one by one. Both the viewer and the character's in the film come to the same conclusion - this doesn't make any sense. And that's when the twist is revealed. Absolutely brilliant!! Well written with fully fleshed-out characters and exceptional acting. One of my all-time favorite, profoundly twisted films. -- Drnostromo.com