Sunday, December 16, 2012

Identity (2003)

How have I never written a review of this movie?!  This is such a sleeper flick that's such a blast.  So many great actors, slick storyline, and awesome filming.  Not to mention an excellent twist.

Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince) is about to be executed for murder.  His lawyers have tried to plead insanity, but there is not enough evidence to that.  Until, in the middle of the night before his execution, a diary is discovered, detailing numerous personalities, one of which his doctor believes is the actual killer.  Being the night before his death penalty, they call an emergency hearing to revisit the case.

Meanwhile, there are many different stories going on at once which culminate in a large group of people gathering at a middle-of-nowhere motel.  A couple (John McKinley and Laila Kenzle) is traveling with their child (Brett Loehr), around the same time that a young woman, Paris (Amanda Peet) is racing away from Vegas.  Caroline (Rebecca DeMornay) is fleeing a movie set, being driven by Ed (John Cusack).  Another couple (Clea DuVall and William Scott) become stranded due to a flash flood.  There's also two escaped convicts (Ray Liotta and Jake Busey) and a guy running a motel (John Hawkes). 

While in this motel, people keep getting picked off one by one, their deaths being accompanied by the appearance of a room key, which seems to mimic a countdown.  Everyone wants to blame each other, but it quickly becomes confusing who is involved or responsible.  Every time they think they've found the suspect in the killings, they turn up dead as well. In the meantime, we continue to check in with the "midnight hearing," which seems inexplicably associated with the events at the motel.

This is one of those movies where you can't say too much about it without giving away the whole story.  But trust me that this is just a cool, tight and compact thriller with lots of good acting, and a great story and twist.  Available now on Netflix instant.

3 comments:

Chris Hewson said...

It sounds cool, but your description made my head explode! haha! I'll have to watch the movie to understand everything easier now.

The Scream Queen said...

LoL! Just read through it again and I should go through and clean it up. But it is one of those movies that's a little hard to explain!

Michele (TheGirlWhoLovesHorror) said...

Love this movie, especially the end, which is very nice and unexpected!