To be
completely honest, the three buckets that I’m granting
Identity are very generous ones. This film really isn’t
that great, but I enjoyed my time watching it. Last year, I
probably would’ve rated it around a two and a half or a two,
but considering the circumstances, this one’s worth a positive
recommendation. Two-thousand-three has been a dreadful year
for film, so far. I keep thinking that it’s going to improve,
and that studios like to dish out crap that’s been sitting on
the shelves for ages at beginning of the year, but then I stop
and think. Aren’t we already a third of the way through the
year? I guess I’ll just have to accept that 2003 is probably
going to, overall, be a bad 365 days for film. After the many
dreadful disasters I’ve seen recently, I’d take Identity
any time.
But,
wait, this is supposed to be a positive review. Let’s focus on
the many pros of this film. For starters, the ensemble cast is
enough to make any critic fall in love. Starring John Cusack,
Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Clea Duvall, Alfred Molina, Rebecca
DeMornay, and Jake Busey, Identity definitely has it
covered in the acting department. Each performer’s work is
near perfect, and this works towards the films advantage,
above anything else. In this creepy type of picture, the
acting has to be well-done, to help the characters remain
believable. The plot is so farfetched, yet so spooky, we
definitely will be engaged, if the material is made easy to
view by the actors and actresses. There is a nice and equal
blend of elegance, fear, and intelligence in each of the
performances.
The
direction is a stroke of genius; absolutely brilliant. The
entire flick looks insanely wonderful, as well as remarkably
unflawed. James Mangold leads the project with a distinct
perseverance, which cleverly shows through in the film, and
clearly gives audiences something to rave about. One of the
most appreciable aspects of Mangold’s direction is that he
knows where to focus the attention in each scene, and maps
this with the camera. There are focus tricks that the casual
viewer won’t bother to notice, so tremendously inspired,
anyone studying Identity will realize that Mangold is a
miraculous filmmaker. He, unlike others, knows how to
skillfully tell this type of tale. Many viewers will applaud
his direction, without ever even noticing it.
As for
the scare-rate; it’s not that high, nor does it need to be.
Identity cleverly pieces itself together without ever
having to rely on cheap thrills. The screenplay, written by
Michael Cooney and co-written by Mangold, is inspiring. The
writing makes us absorb the material on a haunting
psychological level. We indefinitely know what’s coming, but
are often put into doubt of our predictions by ingenious plot
developments, and never truly understand what’s going on until
the very end of the film. We have no more knowledge of what’s
to come of the characters, than they do themselves, and the
ending is to die for. I knew that the plot twist would be
similar to what it ended up being, but never was able to get a
clear grasp on what specifically would happen. I was pondering
this for the entire running length, and carefully studied
every word that came out of each characters mouth. The end,
although somewhat unwanted, leaves us very pleased. It is, for
lack of a better term, insightful.
Thoughtful and intelligent, Identity without a doubt,
ranks in the top ten percent of theatrical releases at this
time. It is a clear reminder that when good entertainment is
hard to find, society will do anything to find anything even
remotely respectable. Identity is a miraculous
representation of this. I enjoyed it, but was never clearly
blown-away. Some of the scenes are pitch-perfect, and others
are just plain boring. If producer Cathy Konrad had balanced
the tension in a more stable way, Identity could’ve
been an unflawed cinematic experience. This is really my only
strong complaint. But, the final product is, undeniably
enriching; I respect this.
-Danny, Bucket Reviews