Product Description

A whodunit revolving around a group of 10 strangers who find themselves running from a desert storm. They hole up in a roadside motel that proves as hospitable as the Bates Motel. The patrons are killed, one by one, and the survivors must try to figure out who the killer is before they, too, check out... permanently! Stars John Cusack (upcoming The Runaway Jury, America’s Sweethearts), Ray Liotta (Narc, Hannibal, Unlawful Entry), Rebecca DeMornay (The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Never Talk to Strangers), Jake Busey (Tomcats, Starship Troopers), Amanda Peet (upcoming The Whole Ten Yards, High Crimes), Alfred Molina (Frida, Chocolat), John C. McGinley (Stealing Harvard, The Animal, TV’s Scrubs), Directed by James Mangold (Kate & Leopold, Girl, Interrupted, Cop Land).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9433 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2003-09-02
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 90 minutes

Amazon.com
With an ace up its sleeve, Identity does for schizophrenia what The Silence of the Lambs did for fava beans and a nice chianti. On the proverbial dark and stormy night, this anxiety-laced thriller offers a tasty blend of And Then There Were None and Psycho, with a dash of Sybil for extra spice and psychosis. Things go from bad to worse when 10 unrelated travelers converge at an isolated motel and proceed to die, one by one, with no apparent connection... until they discover the common detail that's drawn them into this nightmare of relentless trauma. Even as it flunks Abnormal Psychology 101, Michael Cooney's screenplay offers meaty material for a superior ensemble cast including John Cusack and Rebecca DeMornay (who wins the Janet Leigh prize in a bitchy comeback role). Director James Mangold pivots the action around one character (played by his Heavy star, Pruitt Taylor Vince, in eye-twitching cuckoo mode), and half the fun of Identity comes from deciphering who's who, what's what, and who'll be the next to die. --Jeff Shannon

DVD features
The Identity DVD features are not quite as enticing as they sound. Of chief interest is the extended branched version of the film (available in widescreen only), but there's only one added scene (an interesting but not critical minute-long sequence that would have been the first conference-room scene), and the differences in the alternate ending are so subtle that you'll miss them if you literally blink a few times. There's no question it could affect audience perception, but unlike most alternate endings, it doesn't affect the actual outcome. (See spoiler for more information.) The four deleted scenes (which don't include either of the above-mentioned additions) aren't that exciting, and the optional director commentary notes that these deletions generally served to cut moments of character and comic relief in favor of moving the story along, which is one reason the film runs a brisk 90 minutes. James Mangold's director commentary on the feature is good, though, as he discusses such matters as the logistics of the perpetual downpour and a crucial bit of dialogue removed from the film's climax. Considering that downpour and the contrasting darks and lights of the film, picture quality is good, and the thunder claps sound great in 5.1 sound so there are no complaints about the DVD's presentation of the film itself. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

When I was going up the stairs, I met a man who wasn't there
Sick and tired of those ordinary thrillers that are all fluff and very little substance? 'Identity' may be the answer that you're looking for, as it is a clever and dark thriller with a solid story, a terrific cast and a great look and feel to it all. The film revolves around ten strangers who end up at a little motel due to a horrible storm. All of them have been brought there by chance... or, is it a little more complicated than that? They think they're out of the woods until people start getting butchered left and right, in a countdown fashion. What appears to be nothing more than a murderer on the loose having his or her fun ends up being something a lot more sinister and threatening. Have these ten individuals been picked at random, or have their fates been sealed from the very beginning?

When I started watching this, I thought to myself, 'Oh boy, I bet you I know exactly how this is going to end.' I was wrong. The film takes a lot of clever and unexpected twists that really goes to show you how great a thriller can really be if the right brains are behind it all. It has some great suspense and frightening moments, an intriguing plot that likes to play around with your mind, and it delivers a very confident presentation. You'll recognize a good majority of the cast, as some of them include John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet and Rebecca DeMornay. All are great, especially Cusack who proves that he can be a successful lead role in a top-notch thriller.

The DVD has some cool goodies to offer. You can watch it in widescreen or fullscreen, depending on which is your preference. You also have the choice to watch the theatrical cut, or the extended version (not to be mistaken for a 'director's cut'). I must be honest and admit that the extended version is really not worth it. The added scene does nothing to enhance the movie and the so-called 'alternate ending' isn't alternate at all, as it is merely extended by only a few seconds. It was interesting to watch, but again it really doesn't do anything special for the film. Stick with the theatrical version, then watch the extended version if you're still curious. Trust me, the theatrical version is the way to go. Other bonuses included on the DVD are deleted scenes, commentary, storyboard comparisons, theatrical trailer, filmographies and a behind the scenes featurette. The film looks and sounds great.

'Identity' is definitely something that should be checked out by those who are tired by the usual flops that dare to call themselves 'thrillers.' This is a successful and smart thriller that offers chills along with an impressive script and cast. Just be sure to give it a chance. You may think you have it all figured out when it starts, but trust me when I tell you that this movie will play around with your brain until the ending credits. A more than well-done thriller that doesn't disappoint and is worth re-watching again and again. -Michael Crane

Great thriller set in the famous dark and stormy night
This is so reminding me of Brian DePalma (I remember commenting the first ten minutes into Identity). There is no doubt that director James Mangold is drawing heavily on a DePalma influence, or perhaps tapping into a Hitchcock vein. Whatever the case, this thriller is just the fix I've been after without even realizing it.

I admit to being partial to the cast. John Cusack (Ed the limo driver with a past) is an actor I will go out of my way to see any time; needless to say, he is brilliant here too. Amanda Peet, playing a hooker trying to turn her life around, brings her trademark tough smarts to the role and does a great job as always. Ray Liotta plays his usual sinister-guy-posing-as-normal character, but here it fits nicely. Rebecca DeMornay's washed-up TV star part is brief enough to nearly qualify as a cameo, but memorable. The rest of the crew complement this roundup as the assorted bunch that arrive together at the isolated motel on that fateful stormy night that a murderous evil runs amok somewhere outside - or is it inside?

Never fear, this is no mere slasher flick. This *is* a deliciously creepy Whodunit with an added slice of suspense. It is also a real psychological thriller in the old school sense. In true Hitchcockian tradition there is an underlying plot that manages to bring together the seemingly random people and events that clash so chaotically. The little clues that are dropped here and there are just intriguing enough to give us a taste for the twist that we just know is coming (why is there blood on the back of Ray's shirt just before he covers it up with his jacket? What's up with the Indian tombs outside?) Naturally, there is also a false lead or two. By the time the real killer is revealed we can click those puzzles pieces together with great satisfaction and wonder at how we didn't see the big picture all along.

If I had to compare Identity to another recent film, I would say Memento is the closest in style and quality. In any event, I'd recommend Identity to anybody who enjoys this classic thriller subgenre.

-Andrea, aka Merribelle

9 ROOMS, 10 VACANCIES....
"Identity" is one of those psychological thrillers where you really have to pay attention or you get lost. It's an engrossing mix of creepy murder thriller and character study that draws you in quickly and doesn't let up. A group of disparate strangers winds up at an eerie run down motel in a brutal rainstorm and find themselves being picked off one by one by a mysterious killer. Meanwhile, a schizophrenic mass murderer is scheduled for execution but his psychiatrist is arguing for an insanity reprieve. The stranded strangers discover that they have odd things in common. And then there are the motel room keys left as macabre clues. A truly great cast includes John Cusack as a limo driver, Ray Liotta as a cop, Amanda Peet as a call girl, Clea Duvall as an unhappy newlywed, John Hawkes as the loopy motel "manager" and Alfred Molina as the psychiatrist with Taylor Pruitt Vance as the schizophrenic and Rebecca DeMornay in an all too brief role as a hotheaded TV star being driven by Cusack. Other actors in the cast are good too. Director James Mangold keeps things moving with no room for draggy spots and each character has secrets---their own "baggage" so to speak. How the two plots come together is truly bizarre and beautifully handled. I found the ending to be a let down, but actually it made sense in a frustrating way. So I recommend "Identity" for those who enjoy a genuinely spooky story and murder mystery with a twist. Watching the cast alone is worth watching the movie for. Good extras on the DVD, too.