because of what seem to be unusual circumstance and eleven people and stranger to each other outside of their respective group ( two family and two professional association ) and end up strand in a desolate nevada motel on a dark and stormy night . one of the stranger be a death row murderer be escort to another prison for execution . when body start turn up and the murderer go miss and he the obvious suspect . but thing be not what they seem . identity provide a double mystery a traditional whodunit and an increasingly bizarre rubber reality mystery that we must figure out along with the character . this be my second viewing of identity . i do not like it quite as much this time and although it still earn a b. the two aspect i have a slight problem with on the second go round be one and the plot do not quite envelop me to the same extent ( maybe because i remember the twist . ) and two and since first watch it and i have see a lot more film in the rubber reality genre and and identity be nowhere near a mind bending a many other example . still and this be a great film and with a lot of asset . director james mangold effectively employ a number of interest technique here . the main standout in the first reel be the use of tarantino like multiple viewpoint shot and where we see the same span of time from one character point of view and then another and then another . he also effectively create two very attractive atmosphere and especially for fantasy fan a twilight zone ( 1959 ) like conundrum and a sustained dark ambiance . the twilight zone aspect make itself most obvious beginning with the scene where the convict and robert maine ( jake busey ) and try to flee and but discovers that he still at the motel and after all . the constant and blade runner ( 1982 ) like rain underscore the dark ambiance and which be reminiscent of film such a fall ( 1998 ) and se7en ( 1995 ) . while identity isn not exactly a bastion of graphic violence and there be a number of strongly visceral scene and shot that be extremely well do and effective for seem realistic . the atmosphere be also greatly enhance by the hotel set and which match the bates motel from psycho ( 1960 ) in dingy gloom . the film also have a wonderfully nihilistic end . even though i wasn not as enrapture in suspense this time and one be still draw into the film by the gradual quickening and spiraling of loss of control experience by the character . while slowly kill each one of them off a theyre stuck in an isolated setting be a traditional 10 little indian horror film motif that writer michael cooney employ and the twilight zone aspect allow him to trump the sense of horror and despair and a the survive character come to realize that they be not in charge of their own life and they can not call the shot and and their illusion about their reality crumble before their eye . one of the negative be that the rubber reality resolution be a bit too telegraphed and too overt . the solution be give too early and and end up be spell out note for note . it a bit like give a lecture on a joke right after one give the punch line . it might be difficult to blame either cooney or mangold with this and however and a american film studio and test audience be notoriously allergic to ambiguity and which be depress and because i love ambiguity in film . still and maybe the identity be just easy to figure out when you have see ten of rubber reality flick . when i watch the film upon it theatrical release and i overheard more than one fellow theater goer still try to figure out the gist a the light come up . one might be tempt to claim that mangold under use his fine cast who all turn in excellent performance and include one of my favorite character actor and john c. mcginley . but on the other hand and it make sense that there be this large number and broad range of character . under this scenario and you either under use them or you have get a 3 hour plus film ( not that i would complain about a 3 hour plus film ) . of course the theme of the film and as well a all of the subtexts and have to do with personal identity and and especially veil personal identity . none of the character be who they seem . most of them be lie to each other in some way when they first meet and and even some of the one who know each other already be also lie to each other . cooney and mangold explore the various social fact and action and ceremony and ritual and so on that help provide personal identity for u and such a birthdates and name and residency and marriage and benevolent versus criminal or unethical action and and occupation . they also explore a more dynamic identity of action and a relationship continually shift throughout the film .