Identity

The initial immersion in the plot and the growing mystery surrounding the killer’s identity are amazing. But in the last third of the film, when the cards start to be laid on the table, the endearing tribute to Hitchcock’s Psycho becomes a muddled cliché-ridden attempt to be as shocking as possible. Initially a strong four, cut down to an embarrassing two stars after the final interpolation. (01/01/2005)

Mangold's directorial skill, impressive atmosphere and great performances are brought down by the idiotic ending, the screenwriter's attempt to come up with a "shocking" twist at any cost. It's a shame, in the excellent first half this thriller had the makings of a decent 4*. (07/07/2005)

One of my favourite horror thrillers. Thumbs up for the great twist and the interesting way it’s delivered. (08/14/2007)

I acknowledge that the ending is somewhat overcomplicated, but even so, Identity impressed me as a revelation with its atmosphere, dialogues, casting, the performances of the actors, and last but not least, also the direction, which was able to squeeze the maximum out of the screenplay. It is not an artistic affair, let alone a film that would change film history - it is only a skillfully directed thriller about a strange group of people who are trapped in a motel away from civilization and seemingly have nothing in common. A chilling game with the viewer in the style of the good old Hitchcock school. An example of a modern mysterious horror that maintains tension throughout the entire 90 minutes and contains several astonishing plot twists. Among the actors, an impeccable Cusack is worth mentioning. Overall impression: 90%. (08/25/2007)

An atmospheric, gripping thriller that is not as it seems. The ending is very, but really, very unexpected, and the climax will leave you speechless. And on top of it all this movie is supported by great acting (John Cusack rules). (08/25/2007)

Definitely an original, though a bit overwrought film by the end, which I'll have to watch again to get a sense of how much I (dis)liked it. (01/17/2016)

A brilliant thriller with a thick atmosphere and a brisk plot. Already the opening with the random encounters of the characters draws you perfectly into the story, and for the rest of the film the director keeps the viewer's attention through the unrelenting atmosphere of evil from the unknown and imaginative murders. In addition, the story is supported by the believable performances of the cast led by the already classically excellent Cusack. By the end it gets quite confusing, but the final scene explains everything perfectly. (09/25/2011)

Mangold did the unprecedented, he forced Cusack into a performance that downright pissed me off. It was probably a pretty simple thing to do, all he had to do was say "for the love of God don’t act!" and the result was self-evident. The baton was willingly taken up by Liotta, who practically now meets the brief of "A Van Damme who can't kick" quite faithfully, giving the acting performance of a ten-year-old kid. The third spot of acting hate here goes to supporting character Jake Busey, who people keep trying out without realizing that his face simply can't sustain a natural acting performance. Well the last time I saw him in anything he was parked somewhere near The Asylum and from there the only way out is suicide by aquarium fish, so things should be all good now. ________ So I’ve barfed on the acting, what’s next... ah yes, the script. It sucks, of course, because it wraps a good idea (the proof that it's good lies in how Molina presents it) in fluff, which is why we end up with, for example, a main character who, even nothing is happening yet, just happens to open the wringer door out of boredom and finds – watch out now – something there. *SPOILER ALERT* The final twist with the Omen brat, who incidentally manages to take out a number of grown-ups by, for example, shoving a baseball bat down their throats, is downright embarrassing to mention. And so on and so on. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, one of the actors gets hit by a car way too nicely for that, but I tend to enjoy bizarre snafus... (05/12/2023)

This movie pretends to be a terribly ambitious thriller, but I can’t help mentioning that the final climax is very shaky in terms of logic. Still, I can't say I didn't enjoy it, because the thriller (and at times, slightly horror) elements work quite well here. The problem I see is simply the chopping up of the victims; when all the cards are revealed the whole thing doesn't quite make sense. But if you stick to a decent atmosphere and reduce your demands for a convincing denouement, you won't be bored. (04/10/2020)