An original, complex, and wildly unpredictable horror/thriller

Rating: 9/10 (18 March 2007)

Identity was one of the first movies I saw that affected me psychologically. By the time it was done, it had taxed my brain and left me feeling very scared. The film is well directed, very well written, and well acted.
It's a cold, dark, and rainy night. 10 strangers, including a cautious stepfather (John McGinley), an FBI agent (Ray Liotta), a convicted killer (Jake Busey), a prostitute (Amanda Peet), a hotel manager (John Hawkes), and a former cop turned limo driver (John Cusack), will have their lives dangerously intertwine at a rundown motel and be horrified as they are 'eliminated' one by one, with no clue who the killer could be. What ensues is a dangerously good episode of psychological horror.
The music is very good, but it felt like there were those moments where they used it to foreshadow a scary bit. The cinematography is also top-notch, setting a brilliantly dark mood that really helps the horror aspects of the film. The cast works well as an ensemble, each playing their parts well. McGinley definitely drops his extremely funny reputation to play George York in a great way. A nice change for him. Ray Liotta is in top form as the mysterious FBI agent Rhodes. He and Cusack steal the show. Cusack's character is a great examination of how layered one man can be. We're never clear of what his character's motives are, but we are sure of one thing. He's the good guy. The performance of Amanda Peet was nice, but got a tad annoying as the movie dragged on. John Hawkes played a good part, while Jake Busey was extremely scary and creepy as a serial killer. Alfred Molina and Pruitt Taylor Vince appear in smaller roles. Molina is very convincing as a psychologist, and Vince is simply spectacular as the character Malcolm Rivers, a character who is so layered, deep, and central, that if I were to add more about him, it would spoil the movie. Identity is a classic psychological horror film that I always enjoy watching. The ending is very good, and will make you gasp. Definitely one of the biggest twists in a long time. I highly recommend 'Identity'.
9/10 --spy