So close to having one...

Rating: Null/10 (21 June 2003)

This is the kind of film you could easily praise highly or slag off just as easily. It's that kind of movie. All the reviews show this. That's, in effect, what probably (!) puts it in the first category for me. So close to having one...is something people who have seen the movie will 'get' but I'm not going to throw in spoilers by explaining what I mean. You'll have to watch it to find out for yourself. The movie is atmospheric yet somewhat predictable. But it's also run-of-the-mill, yet surprising! I know, doesn't make any sense. For British viewers, the catchphrase of 'Blankety Blank' was 'the clue is in the question'. Say no more. I didn't wholly like it because I am not a huge fan of Ray Liotta, who I feel is over-rated. And I was upset because one of my blonde heroines, Rebecca DeMornay, wasn't blonde; but, those points aside,I do recommend it, especially if you know very little about it in advance. On the plus side, I thought John Cusack was excellent, and Amanda Peet extremely, shall we say, 'watchable'. This is not a horror movie as such. Nor was 'The Ring' but that doesn't mean that they're not creepy. This is not as good as 'The Ring' which was mind-blowingly terrifying, thanks, mainly, to the magnificent Naomi Watts, but 'Identity' has enough going for it to demand attention. It's got mine twice so far, and I feel a third trip could be just around the corner. For those looking for simple twists like that of 'The Sixth Sense', then this is not really for them. I disagree with many other reviewers who claim that this twist appears too early in the movie. A movie is greater than its twist alone, and sometimes a late twist is as unsatisfying as an early one. I would have preferred 'The Others' a whole lot more if the plot had developed a bit more after its revelation right at the death, if you'll pardon the pun. 'Identity'...so close to having one...go see it...even if RDM isn't blonde...