Tovino Thomas' big budget action entertainer is a tonally inconsistent watch that keeps you hooked, observes Arjun Menon.
Nothing is what it seems like in Identity.
This unfortunately is a bug, rather than a feature of this abrasive tentpole outing.
Featuring Tovino Thomas and Trisha, this is a fairly competent thriller that muddies its potential because of its untidy presentation.
Identity is a film of big swings that aims for the stars and rightfully so. But the swerve of the subject matter is not matched by the lowkey, arbitrary filmmaking strokes.
The film starts by showing us a child prodigy, whose attention to detail and orderly conduct is a tragic aftermath of his dead father's unhealthy and scrutinising upbringing.
The way the critical exposition about the protagonist and his complicated OCD tendencies, and intricate family dynamic is delivered to us by Dr Sudharsan (Shammi Thilakan) reeks of overt writing.
Like in their previous collaboration, the directing duo composed of Akhil Paul and Anas Khan are concerned with superficial details that accumulate over the running time to pose a kaleidoscopic revelation by way of hidden, smudged-off, and concealed facts of the screenplay.
But unlike their first collaboration Forensic (also headlined by Tovino), Identity's ambition sometimes overpowers its narrative aspirations by cramming too many ideas.
There is a solid action romp here somewhere that is undercut by the over-plotting and piled-on contrivances aimed at shock value.
Identity follows star witness Alisha Abdul Salam (Trisha) suffering from a rare neurological disorder that prevents her from registering human faces.
Things get complicated due to her peculiar condition and her inability to recall any human face.
This, like many other facets of Akhil Paul's and Anas Khan's densely packed screenplay, is a juicy idea on paper but the complicated back and forth and over-reliance on stale exposition sequences, delivered with a snappy musicality by Dr Sudharsan exposes the heavy-handed approach of filmmaking.
Like with the writing, the simplification of complex ideas can be best demonstrated through the scene where a sexual assault survivor taking a bungee jump is equated with 'moving on'.
It's a bit reductive, no?
This sort of simplified, convenient intercutting and shorthand makes it a bumpy ride and you get a plausible murder attempt onboard a flight, and a witness protection programme thrown into the mix, with varying levels of effectiveness in execution.
For instance, there is a particular reveal of Tovino's character that we get from a randomly cast Mandira Bedi.
The writing, staging, and editing in that sequence belong in an entirely different film and you see the inherent tension between the need to please and overwhelm take over with fast-paced cuts that try to inject some thrills into an otherwise routine action block.
Identity flaunts its elementary script ideas and this tendency of over-emphasis drains the film of any impact that could have been derived from a more withholding, restrained delivery mechanism.
The three-way relationship between a witness, a sketch artist Haran (Tovino Thomas), and a determined cop Allen Jacob (Vinay Rai) is an interesting upending of the general 'two men butting heads' trope.
There is a stately slickness to the proceedings that paint a sharp contrast with the pulpy sensibility of the material.
Akhil George's lensing lends the film a sense of heightened prestige and sheen that is lacking in the material.
The widescreen, well-lit sequence elevates the workman-like script into a work of visual grandeur that gives off the vibes of an international production.
The pulsating score by Jakes Bejoy is omnipresent and sometimes hijacks the drama and keeps you hooked.
Tovino Thomas is highly effective as the withdrawn, stoic protagonist. He is not given much to work with and the constant shifts in the tone and scope of his character motivation begins to crumble. But his impeccable screen presence enhances even the most clumsy line readings.
The actor's conviction in pulling off some of the most random, galaxy-brained writing choices lends credibility to the film's momentum.
Vinay Rai gets to practice restraint without overdoing his part. He walks away with a performance which is markedly different from the 'industrialist villain' archetype he has been restricted to in other industries.
Trisha is stuck in a thankless part that is more of a narrative shorthand to facilitate the peculiarities of the drama.
Identity maintains a facade of austerity, without being bold enough to embrace the associated silliness of this brand of mainstream potboilers.
The rigidity and tameness in form lend the shocking revelations, reversals and red herrings largely muted as the ever-shifting stylistic choices are too much to keep track of.
I was reminded of what a more adventurous filmmaker would have been able to pull off with such heightened drama and preposterous twists. One could sense the affectations of a Face Off (1997) period John Woo material, rendered through the lens of a Renny Harlin actioner that don't take itself too seriously.
Great swings don't equate to quality, but in the case of Identity, it is a sufficiently fun time at the movies.
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