Identity [Blu-ray]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Ten strangers are brought together during a weather emergency, only to discover a far greater danger awaits them in this suspense-drama. A sudden rainstorm in a remote desert town strands a disparate variety of people at a rundown motel. A convict sentenced to death, Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince), is stuck in transit with his lawyer (Alfred Molina). Ginny and Lou (Clea DuVall and William Lee Scott) are a not-especially-happy pair of young marrieds on their honeymoon. Ed (John Cusack) is a bright and resourceful chauffeur working for actress Caroline Suzanne (Rebecca De Mornay). George York (John C. McGinley) is a concerned husband trying to find help for his wife (Leila Kenzle, who was struck by Caroline's limo. Paris (Amanda Peet) is a prostitute who wants to move on to a better life. And Rhodes (Ray Liotta) is a police detective who has in his custody Robert Maine (Jake Busey), a dangerous and deranged criminal. As the rain pours down and motel manager Larry (John Hawkes) tries to care for his customers, one by one the unexpected guests begin losing their lives at the hands of a murderer. As the body count mounts, the stranded travelers struggle to find out who the killer is; however, they also learn each of them has a secret, and that their arrival at the motel has not been a matter of mere chance. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: All
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Audio: Surround Sound
• Screen: Color
• Features:
  • Director's commentary
  • Deleted scenes with director's commentary
  • Storyboard comparisons
  • On the set feature

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       John Cusack - Ed
       Ray Liotta - Detective Rhodes
       Amanda Peet - Paris
       John Hawkes - Larry
       Alfred Molina - Doctor
       Clea Duvall - Ginny
       John C. McGinley - George
       William Lee Scott - Lou
       Jake Busey - Robert Maine
       Pruitt Taylor Vince - Malcolm Rivers
       Rebecca De Mornay - Caroline Suzanne
       Carmen Argenziano - Defense Lawyer
       Marshall Bell - District Attorney
       Leila Kenzle - Alice York
       Matt Letscher - Assistant District Attorney
       Bret Loehr - Timothy York
       Holmes Osborne - Judge
       Frederick Coffin - Detective Varole

• Director:

  James Mangold

• Producer:

  Cathy Konrad

• Screenwriter:

  Michael Cooney

• Cinematographer:

  Phedon Papamichael

• Composer (Music Score):

  Alan Silvestri

• Editor:

  David Brenner

• Production Designer:

  Mark Friedberg

• Art Director:

  Jess Gonchor

• Associate Producer:

  Dixie J. Capp

• Executive Producer:

  Stuart M. Besser

• Set Designer:

  Cindy Carr, Victoria Ruskin, Oana Bogdan

• Costume Designer:

  Arianne Phillips

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Jim Stuebe

• First Assistant Director:

  Nick Mastandrea

• Casting:

  Lisa Beach, Sarah Katzman

REVIEW:

• There's a moment after one of the bigger of Identity's many twists, in which it seems as if the writers have dropped the ball, throwing in a cheap cop-out in lieu of an actual payoff. Luckily, a moment later, one begins to think that the development was more clever than cheap, and simply completely unexpected rather than a cop-out. By the end, after all is said and done, Identity proves itself to be one of the most original and fun thrillers in years. Writers James Mangold and Michael Cooney have crafted a script that is a smart blend of the old-fashioned whodunit and the modern B-slasher film. The execution of the resulting premise of a group of people mysteriously landing at the same motel, finding themselves killed off one-by-one is enough to make the film a winner. But as the story unfolds, it reveals itself to hold even more than meets the eye. As a director, Mangold lends the film an unsettling atmosphere that is half familiarity and half enigma. In addition, the ensemble cast is top-notch, pulling off characters that could have easily come across overly exaggerated and campy if handled incorrectly. Of course not everyone will stick it out past the aforementioned big twist, as some viewers will surely choose to pick apart some of the finer, peripheral details rather than suspend their disbelief a little. But for those who allow themselves to enjoy it for what it is, a refreshingly imaginative film that giddily toys with genres and audience expectations, Identity is sure to please. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi