Identity and Underwater

Identity- by Amber Bullock

Identity, 2003, starring John Cusack and Ray Liotta, was about 10 strangers that due to a storm we forced to shelter at a dive motel. Throughout the course of their night, each of the characters was murdered and left with a room key, determining the countdown of their death. This movie was enjoyable to watch and played well for a murder mystery genre. The problem begins about ¾ of the way through the film, they reveal that the main character, played by John Cusack, was the murderer. And then the plots begin to get messy from there. At this point, they could have done better by stream-lining the plot. This movie would have been much better if they did not reveal that John Cusack, was the murderer so soon in the movie. From the beginning of the movie, they introduce a murderer that is on death row and has requested a stay 24 hours before his execution. It is through this side story, that we discover that John Cusack’s character is one of the murderers many personalities. I would have excluded this whole aspect to the movie or revealed it in one scene at the end, rather then piecing it into the movie sporadically. It made a fast-moving movie, with already a lot going on, very complicated to follow.  The chronological killing off of the characters was great. But then we learn from the scene with the judge and lawyers, that John Cusack’s character is mentally ill, with multiple personality disorders. And he is killing off all of his personalities. This would have been better if it was just left out. I would have just left the story alone without the judge, attorneys and conference room. And kept the story line of the murders happening in chronological order. Then had one flash to the story of John Cusack’s character at the end of the movie. Also, keeping the final scene of the young boy killing the last character.

Underwater- by Amber Bullock

Underwater is an action movie starring Kristen Stewart. This was an awful movie from the beginning. It was about an ocean deep water research and drilling lab. The team experiences a large earthquake that destroys their facility. Then, they discover there are some aliens among them. I would change so many things about this movie. It is very chopped up and is hard to follow what is going on. I would slow the movement of the characters. They are constantly on the move. The Alien and Aliens movie was very similar but was clear on their mission and what and why they were moving. I would follow some of how Aliens approached the movement of the characters and include and steal some of the maps scenes. I would make their underwater walks in Underwater more visible as they were shaky and visible through only a small face mask, making it difficult to fully view what was occurring and the nausea from the spinning and falling about was hard to take. I would explain more of a backstory of why the aliens are there to hurt them and more of the scientific history of the lab rather than characters running around in and out of faulty labs. I would have more well-established plans to escape with meetings and thought and explanation put into the dialogue. There also should be more character development, including personal stories, as that was lacking in the movie. At the end of the movie, Kirsten Stewart’s character ends up blowing up the monster/alien and herself to complete the movie. I would have a more thought out ending where the lead uses all of her intelligence shown throughout the movie to figure out a clever way to survive. For instance, somehow destroying the alien and preserving a vessel to lift her to the surface of the water.