IDENTITY, directed by James Mangold, is a thriller set at an isolated motel in rural Nevada during an unrelenting rainstorm. With all roads washed out and all forms of communication dead, a group of people become stranded at the motel along with the shifty manager (John Hawkes). Among the stranded are Ed (John Cusack), a former .. Read more
| Starring | John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina |
|---|---|
| Director | James Mangold |
| Genres | Thriller |
loading...
IDENTITY, directed by James Mangold, is a thriller set at an isolated motel in rural Nevada during an unrelenting rainstorm. With all roads washed out and all forms of communication dead, a group of people become stranded at the motel along with the shifty manager (John Hawkes). Among the stranded are Ed (John Cusack), a former cop turned limo driver; Caroline (Rebecca De Mornay), a self-absorbed actress; Paris (Amanda Peet), a prostitute attempting to escape her profession; Rhodes (Ray Liotta), a cop transporting a prisoner (Jake Busey); Lou (William Lee Scott) and Ginny (Clea DuVall), bickering newlyweds; and George (John McGinley) and Alice (Leila Kenzle), a married couple travelling with their young son. Soon the waterlogged lodgers start dying in mysterious--and brutal--ways, and the increasingly dwindling number of survivors must discover the killer to prevent their own demises.
Riveting from the opening sequence, Mangold's suspenseful murder mystery wastes no time in turning on the tension. Realising that truly scary cinema comes from the unknown and the unexpected, Mangold and screenwriter Michael Cooney keep the audience--and the film's characters--in the dark and continually create situations that go from bad to worse for the luckless travellers. Cusack anchors the film as the resigned but noble former policeman, while Peet reveals a depth previously unseen in her other movies. Actors such as Liotta, McGinley, Hawkes, and De Mornay round out the fine ensemble cast. As with many thrillers, IDENTITY has a big twist, but because of the filmmakers' excellent slight of hand, it's unlikely viewers will predict the outcome.
| Starring | John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Jake Busey, Clea Duvall, Rebecca De Mornay |
|---|---|
| Director | James Mangold |
| Studio | SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 26 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 30 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English, English Audio Description |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Released | DVD: 12 Jan 2004 Blu-ray: 09 Apr 2007 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
In this slasher-influenced take on Ten Little Indians, a classy cast is stranded at a remote motel in the Nevada desert on the proverbial dark and stormy night (which of course means that the phone lines are down and contact with the outside world is impossible). Given that the place is suspiciously reminiscent of another roadside hostelry (proprietor: N Bates), it's no surprise when they find themselves being picked off one by one in increasingly bloody ways. As the potential victims include indie favourites John Cusack and Ray Liotta, you hope that this is going to be more than a TV-movie-style murder mystery in which the guest turns are offed according to Hollywood rank, with the highest paid actor remaining. For the most part it is — the shocks are well staged, there are flashes of wit and the performances are sly without being too tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, director James Mangold can't sustain the atmosphere in the face of increasingly outlandish plot twists and the final revelation is so wildly illogical as to be irritating.
Smart thriller with a twist that enlivens the stock characters and situations of which it is made; the mood is hysterical and the direction embraces the style of horror movies.
A top cast lends to this very atmospheric thriller. It leaves you guessing to the very end and after. with some very shocking moments this is not one for the faint hearted but it will leave you on the edge of your seat. The setting is perfect and the stars are on top form, with a very clever script which sadly gets a little too complex and confusing for it's own good. Definately a choice for thriller fans! contains strong language.
This film was a mind boggle of twists and turns with the most unexpected happeneing all the time, then just as you think you know the plot and you can predict the ending it surprises you. I cant really explain too much without giving too much away but a group of people find themselves brought together by mysterious forces and people start dying. Slowly unravelling the plot this film will keep you gripped and guessing the whole time. These kind of films are found few and far between. A must see!