Phenomenal mind-bending thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2018)

This movie came recommended to me on Netflix spotlight since I watch so many thrillers/horrors, so I decided to give it a try and was blown away. You may think you know exactly what's going on and exactly what the movie is about, but you cannot predict the direction in which the story is headed until its revealed.
First of all, I should point out that although 'Identity' is headed under the horror section on Netflix UK, it's definitely not a horror and although it's very suspenseful, the blood/gore is minimal and it's much more of a psychological thriller than anything else. So for any horror fans looking for a true horror, this may not be for you. However, if you're a fan of mind-bending psychological thrillers with a splash of the slasher sub-genre, this is perfect for you.
'Identity' is such a well thought out story that benefits from a talented cast, interesting characters and an intriguing story that is much more complex than it seems on first appearances. Unlike many other movies in the same genre, 'Identity' doesn't extend beyond its reach by throwing unnecessary twists and surprises that are illogical and irrelevant to the overall conclusion. Although the story is complex, every single piece of the puzzle fits together perfectly leaving no unanswered questions or lingering confusion.
John Cusak is fantastic as the lead (no surprises there), but the entire cast is strong and give great performances. The characters themselves all had their own personalities and we were introduced to elements of their back-story which made them feel more distinctive as people instead of just a bunch of generic murder victims. The interactions between the characters are equally as strong and there's interesting dynamics that emerge between them immediately. Personally, I was a little confused as to how some of them seemed so familiar to each other so quickly, but just like everything else, it's all explained as the story progresses.
I loved the way the twists were revealed because it was done at the perfect time and in a way whereby it was subtle and had you thinking for a few moments longer about what you were being told. But the second the dots connect it evokes an immediate response of awe and surprise. I also appreciated that the story still continued to develop further and progress at a steady pace after the reveal.
Overall, this is a fantastic movie that is psychologically stimulating, clever and suspenseful and will have anybody that watches on the edge of their seat guessing what's going to happen next and who the big bad is. The best part is that very few people will figure it out by themselves, because it's THAT unexpected, yet when you know it you can't help but wonder how you didn't see it from the beginning.