To be honest, I had been waiting for Identity for a long time. Since way back, before it even started filming. I think at the time I found out about it, only John Cusack and the director, James Mangold were attached and I remember thinking how interesting that was. See, I'm a horror fan and more often than not horror fans and treated like idiots by Hollywood with films like DARKNESS FALLS and THEY. However, I was confident that John Cusack and James Mangold wouldn't be attracted to a film that wasn't smart or at least somewhat intelligent. So, at last on April 25, Identity hit theatres and I found out that I was right. The film lived up to my expectations which is something that rarely happens. Identity is a good, solid, horror film with as much brains as it has blood.
Identity is a simple story. Ten strangers are gathered in a hotel on a dark, stormy night and then suddenly, one by one, they start being murdered. However, the film offers several twists and turns that the audience doesn't see coming and in the end the audience benefits for it. Nothing is what it seems. Identity isn't your average run of the mill slasher whodunit film. There's a lot more to it than that.
As a film, Identity just works. It has all the elements it needs to be a well remembered thriller. There are several interesting suspects, good - solid tension for both the audience and the films characters, some scary moments, and even some humor (which is mostly provided by John Hawkes as Larry the hotel manager).
The cast is excellent with John Cusack, Ray Liotta, John C. McGinley, and John Hawkes playing their roles to perfection. Actually, aside from THE PERFECT STORM, which by the way wasn't a good movie, Identity is the only film in recent memory to go wide at theatres and make good use of character actor John Hawkes. He's an excellent actor and he needs better roles. Roles like the one he has here. Also, it was great to see John Cusack in a movie that I actually cared about. I like Cusack as an actor, I just don't usually like his choice in film (AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS and SERENDIPITY). Even Jake Busey (son of Gary Busey) has a few good moments.
Director James Mangold does a great job in the directors chair. The film never bores the audience because it always keeps them guessing. It also serves as great eye candy because the film was shot almost entirely on a sound stage, which gives it the look and feel of a classic 50's horror film. The film is written well to.
Screenwriter Michael Cooney gives the film fresh dialogue that simply just rolls of the actors tongues. I look forward to seeing other films writtn by Cooney. I know that he wrote the straight to video killer snowman horror fims JACK FROST and JACK FROST 2 which were horrible. I actually can't beleive Identity was penned by the same man. Hopefully, he has more goodness left in him.
Identity is, by years end, still probably going to be the best thriller of 2003. It will take a lot for another film to steal its title. In the end, Identity will take the audience in a direction they probably wont see coming but its what will make this film as memorable as it is and may even have people coming out of it questioning their own Identity. I did. Ha!
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