Plot: What’s it about?
A fierce storm has been pounding motorists, making it hard to see, even harder to drive, and in some places, creating flooded dead ends. In fact, for drivers on one stretch of isolated road, the storm has closed both sides around them. And there is nothing on this road, no phones to use, no rest stops, only a run down old motel. This motel is run by the nervous Larry (John Hawkes), who serves as the establishment’s night manager. Larry is about to have a reason to be nervous, or more to the point, about a dozen reasons to be nervous. A group of travelers is about to come into his motel, some just looking for a place to wait out the storm, others in the middle of serious problems, and one visitor with homicidal intentions. A driver named Ed (John Cusack) is transporting a washed up actress, when he loses concentration and runs down a woman on the side of the road. The injured woman, as well as her husband and son are taken to the motel by Ed, who then leaves to try to find help out on the roads. Instead, he encounters another stranded motorist (Amanda Peet) and back at the motel, more guests have just arrived. Ed and his new friend return to the motel, to discover that a police officer and his prison transfer have checked in. But when the prisoner escapes and people start to turn up dead, can anyone survive?
In recent times, no genre has been raided more than the suspense thriller realm, often with lackluster results. These movies have the tension, violence, and cheap scares of horror movies, but claim to be more cerebral than a normal slasher. In any event, most of these thrillers have been ineffective tripe that wager the entire picture on some twist ending, usually one that fails to shock or awe the audience. But by the same token, some of the thrillers are intense and chilling, with great execution and design. These good ones are rare however and of course, it takes a while to sift through all the trash to find the treasures. I wouldn’t call Identity a treasure, but it has a lot of good elements and proves to be a cut above most recent thrillers. The premise is a good one and just when you think the concept has slammed into a dead end, the story bobs & weaves and takes down an unexpected road. You’ll find ample suspense, tension, and atmosphere, all vital ingredients to a competent film of this kind. I didn’t care for some of the plot movements, especially after the film’s first half or so, but on the whole, Identity is a well crafted thriller. If nothing else, the cast is impressive, headed by John Cusack, Clea DuVall, John C. McGinley, Ray Liotta, and Amanda Peet, plus a number of other gifted performers. So if you’re a fan of suspense thrillers, then this movie is well worth a look, so don’t miss Identity.
His career has made a splashy return in recent years, but he stayed with the genre that made him famous, the romantic comedies. As a teen and young adult, John Cusask starred in countless brisk comedies, then he kind of dropped out of sight for a while, only to return in a string of popular romantic comedies. As much as I often enjoy Cusask in those kind of movies, its good to see him branch out in a movie like Identity. His skills can handle most roles and he is given the chance to flex some creative muscle here, with solid results. I was impressed with how intense his performance was here, though I do think someone else might have done a little more with the role. Even so, Cusack is in fine form and all things considered, handles the role well enough. I am glad to see him outside of comic pictures and of course, I hope to see him explore other genres also, perhaps even a return to thrillers soon.
Video: How does it look?
The initial version of this movie never really looked that bad. But with this new 4K edition, it’s is almost perfection – a visual presentation that offers a pristine source print and incredible visual depth. I didn’t expect this movie to look that good, given that both versions and a lot of extras have been crammed onto a single disc, but Arrow’s treatment is excellent. As I said, the print used is flawless and shows no defects in the least, while sharpness is impeccable, almost three dimensional at times. This is a very dark movie, but detail is high throughout and murkiness is never a problem. That is because contrast is gorgeous, with black levels that always come off as refined and well balanced. I found colors to be well handled also, as hues look vivid and rich in this presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not to be outdone, the included DTS HD Master Audio option is also excellent and provides an active, effective presentation. This is a suspense thriller after all, so atmosphere is important and a good soundtrack can really crank up the tension. And of course, there’s always some jump scares involved in these pictures, so a great audio effort can enhance the experience more than a little, to be sure. This track boasts ample power and depth, including some creative and highly effective use of the surrounds. In fact, you might want to use this soundtrack for a demo option in some cases, if your guests like thrillers. The track might not have the sheer power of an action movie, but for the material involved, this one couldn’t get much better. From the smallest detail to the most powerful jump scare, this soundtrack is simply flawless. The dialogue is never lost in the ruckus either, while the musical score sounds crisp and well placed also.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Theatrical Cut and Extended Cut
- Audio Commentary – Director James Mangold supplies a great session here, covering all kinds of production aspects in a candid, informative approach. The track also includes information on the scenes cut from the final release, how the story evolved, the special effects techniques, and numerous other topics, which makes for a terrific session.
- Audio Commentary – Michael Cooney, the screenwriter, gets his own track which I didn’t listen to. But it’s there if you want/need it.
- I Met a Man Who Wasn’t There – New to this disc is an interview with Pruitt Taylor Vance who plays Malcolm in the film.
- Producing Identity – Also new is an interview with producer Cathy Konrad as she discusses the finer points of the film.
- On the Set – From the “early days of DVD” we’ve got this glorified behind the scenes featurette.
- Deleted Scenes – Six minutes’ worth, with optional commentary by James Mangold.
- Storyboard Comparisons – Pretty self-explanatory.
- Theatrical Trailer
- Image Gallery
- Booklet – In the “we want to be Criterion, but we’re not Criterion” department, we’ve got this essay about the film.
The Bottom Line
This is an overlooked gem from the early 00’s. James Mangold would go onto other notable projects with the likes of Walk the Line, Logan and Knight and Day to name a few. Arrow’s new 4K gives the image some new life as well as some new supplements to boot. Fans will enjoy this one.
