Identity

Identity, directed by Akhil Paul and Anas Khan, is a crime investigation drama cum action thriller with a very solid first half, followed by an overstuffed yet engaging second half. The film excels in establishing a highly engaging case, although it occasionally resorts to spoon-feeding scientific jargon. In the second half, the tone shifts from investigation to action, introducing new characters and plot points, which might feel slightly distracting. However, the action set pieces, especially the amazing car chase and the well-executed aviation thrill sequence, keep you hooked. While the twists and turns are intriguing, they could have been more impactful, and the emotional elements feel somewhat underwhelming. The climax includes certain commercial elements that seem out of place.

Tovino delivers another very good performance, with his body language adding uniqueness to his character. Trisha performs well, while Vinay Rai starts off good but later devolves into a clichéd character. Aju Varghese and Shammi Thilakan provide good support, and the rest of the cast does a decent job. Technically, the film is impressive. The camerawork and Bejoy's music complement the narrative effectively. The editing, with its use of jump cuts, might feel distracting at times The screenplay is smart and ensures every question is answered with minute details, while also addressing open points later. However, it feels very overstuffed at times. Overall, Identity is a good thriller that could have been even better if it had avoided being overly packed.

OVERALL - 7/10.

A Gripping Start, A Confusing Descent: The first half of this movie is undeniably gripping and engaging. It pulls you in with a compelling story and keeps you hooked with its suspenseful atmosphere. The pacing is excellent, and the characters are intriguing enough to hold your attention.

However, the second half takes a dramatic turn for the worse. In an apparent attempt to deliver unexpected twists and surprises, the writer seems to have derailed the narrative. The plot becomes increasingly convoluted and confusing, leaving the viewer feeling disoriented and ultimately unsatisfied.

While the initial promise of the film is undeniable, the second half unfortunately diminishes its overall impact. I'd recommend waiting for this semi-thriller to arrive on OTT platforms. The first half is definitely worth experiencing, but the second half might leave you feeling disappointed.

Overall: * Strengths: Gripping first half, engaging pacing, intriguing characters.

* Weaknesses: Confusing second half, convoluted plot, underwhelming twists.

* Recommendation: Wait for OTT release. Enjoy the first half, and be prepared for a potential letdown in the second.

I'm starting to question the trustworthiness of IMDb ratings. I decided to watch the movie based on its high rating, and it turned out to be a letdown. The first half had some suspense, the story drifted off course and became utterly boring in the second half. From fake accents to cringe-worthy slow-motion scenes, it felt almost laughable. Random characters popped up without purpose, and the plane scenes were completely unnecessary. At nearly three hours long, the movie was a tedious slog. The story writing and editing were poor, and while the cinematography was decent, it couldn't save the experience. Don't be fooled by the IMDb rating, pretty sure these are bots.

In many ways, Identity is technically superior to Forensic and boasts some interesting characters (like that of Tovino's and Trisha's). But the "hack" writing that somewhat derailed Akhil Paul & Anas Khan's previous venture is a major drawback here too. This is a film with several twists and turns, though none of them pack a serious punch. It's almost as if the writers knew this beforehand, so they've tried their best to salvage it in the making. As such, we're treated to some slick action blocks, both on land and in the air. Most of the exposition has a Wikipedia-reading feel to it, packed with a little too much info. Sure, it helps provide additional context, but do we really need SO MANY characters and subplots to get to the rather obvious conclusion?

The technical aspects are commendable - Yannick Ben and Phoenix Prabhu effectively crack the stunts, DoP Akhil George captures the leads and proceedings stunningly, and Jakes Bejoy delivers a killer score (though a bit reminiscent of Forensic). Visual effects are also largely decent (with the exception Aju Varghese's moustache). The screenplay could've gone in interesting directions, especially with respect to Trisha's character. But when the focus shifts to Tovino's Haran Shankar (sketch-artist-turned-whatever), the film starts faltering big time. I think the writer-director duo needs to ensure that their next screenplay is fat-free, unnecessary-characters-free, and most importantly, uses non-linearity only if it amps up the (actual) thrill quotient.

Right from its announcement, I was intrigued to watch this on the big screen, yet I missed it due to fewer shows in Mumbai. Now, I'm glad I didn't spend money on it.

A suspense thriller where police officers hunt down a twisted criminal with the help of a lone eyewitness and a sketch artist. With many twists in the tale, there's much more to the crime than meets the eye. But will they nab the real culprit?

Suspense dramas make for a riveting watch, but there's a thin line between maintaining suspense and creating confusion. This film blurs that line, leaving you scratching your head in confusion and disconnecting you from the main plot. With excessive name-dropping and disjointed incidents, it becomes a mess. It takes almost half the movie to make sense of it all. The screenplay is haphazardly written, making you restless and even bored at times.

Tovino Thomas brings his A-game, only to be let down by weak writing. Vinay Rai gets a meatier role and does a good job. Trisha Krishnan's appearance in a Malayalam film created hype, but this is one of the worst choices she could have made-her role is poorly written, with no screen time or substance to perform. In their limited scope, Archana Kavi, Aju Varghese, Shammi Thilakan, and others are decent.

The BGM works in the movie's favor, creating a sense of eagerness. However, the suspense isn't something that will leave you shocked-it's predictable, and you can guess some twists from a distance. Logic also takes a backseat at many junctures. Tovino's backstory makes no sense, and many developments in the movie seem to exist just for the sake of it. Midway, everything seems resolved, yet the movie starts again with a new plot, testing your patience.

At 150 minutes, this below-average film could have been improved significantly by trimming the last 30 minutes for a better impact. With such a good cast and a promising premise, this is a missed opportunity. Watch it for the leads or your love for the genre-otherwise, there's not much else.

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