Identity movie review: A curious spectre looms over Malayalam thrillers these days — one that’s essential to their survival and hence, impossible to exorcise. This spectre is the obsession with “scientific or psychological explanations” for everything depicted on screen. In other words, an intense fixation on ensuring logical consistency. While logic and coherence are undoubtedly important when crafting thrillers — tying up loose ends and leaving no room for doubts — this overwhelming focus might come at a cost as it could detract from the gripping tension and suspense that define the genre if not handled cleverly. Without delivering moments that genuinely unsettle viewers — tightening their throats with suspense or sending chills down their spines — a thriller risks falling flat.
The latest casualty of this is director duo Akhil Paul and Anas Khan’s action thriller Identitythe first Malayalam release of 2025, which has strived too much to ground its story in scientific and psychological plausibility, that it ends up compromising thrills that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
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The story follows Haran Shankar (Tovino Thomas), who grows up in a dysfunctional family and develops obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) at a young age. Deeply attached to his loved ones, Haran also inherits a talent for sketching from his mother, eventually becoming as skilled as she was. Years later, he is living in Kochi with his family when CI Allen Jacob (Vinay Rai) of the Karnataka police moves into the same building with investigative journalist Alisha (Trisha Krishnan), the sole witness to a murder he is investigating. Allen soon discovers Haran’s remarkable skills as a sketch artist and seeks his help to create a portrait of the killer based on Alisha’s photographic memory.
However, as the story progresses, Haran and Allen realise that Alisha has developed prosopagnosia (face blindness) following an accident later on the night of witnessing the murder. Though she can recall precise details about the killer’s physique thanks to her eidetic memory, she can no longer recognise faces, making it nearly impossible to identify the culprit. Meanwhile, as the investigation unfolds, the trio uncovers a web of secrets attached to the murder that Alisha witnessed and the deceased in that incident. They realise it is tied to bigger things — which could have devastating consequences if exposed. But for the truth to come to light, Alisha must recall the killer’s face and identify him. Will she be able to?
From the outset, Identity feels more invested in tossing around scientific jargon and explaining behaviours — particularly Alisha’s — than in crafting a narrative with emotional depth. At the same time, Akhil Paul and Anas Khan, who also wrote the script, bombard viewers with a flurry of characters and information without allowing them time to settle into the story or its world, detracting from the experience. What worsens this is the lack of emotional resonance as none of the moments feel impactful. Despite introducing several characters, they all, including Haran, remain superficial, with their nuances left unexplored and this lack of depth makes it difficult to connect with or care about any of them.
As the story unfolds, Identity continues to deliver mechanical and soulless moments, and Akhil and Anas fail to bring out the emotions of the characters, especially Alisha, whose internal turmoil is central to the narrative. Despite being surrounded by strangers after witnessing a major crime and dealing with a severe neurological disorder, the film fails to capitalise on the gravity of her predicament and Alisha ends up appearing underdeveloped, reduced to a few psychological terms describing her condition. Similarly, while Haran is portrayed as having OCPD, this matter crops up only sporadically and inconsistently, leaving one to wonder why the character was attributed this in the first place.
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The storytelling also suffers from unnecessary jump cuts, with events between two points depicted as flashbacks more than once; here, a chronological approach would have created a greater impact. Meanwhile, the script is also riddled with glaring plot holes and the gaps are left untreated, leaving some sequences feel amateurish, such as a key moment towards the end when Haran’s Plan B fails before Plan A has even played out completely. In a Varathan-esque twist, the film reveals critical details about Haran’s identity only toward the climax. However, unlike the thrilling way this has been handled in the Amal Neerad film, Akhil and Anas fail to build up this twist effectively, leaving it underwhelming and underutilised.
That said, Identity does excel in its high-octane action sequences, particularly the brilliantly executed car chase and a climactic fight scene aboard an aeroplane. Chaman Chakko’s stellar editing elevates these moments, partially compensating for the script’s many shortcomings and adding a sense of excitement to an otherwise uneven film. Another one of the movie’s standout qualities is its stunning visuals, marked by style. Art director Saby Misra has crafted a visually striking world with impressive aesthetics, while Akhil George’s cinematography enhances each frame, making them look opulent even when the makers have gone for minimalism. Ronex Xavier’s makeup and the costume design by Gayathri Kishore and Malini also deserve recognition. Although Jakes Bejoy’s original soundtrack is underwhelming, his background score elevates the cinematic experience, complementing the visual brilliance achieved by the technical team. The action choreography by Yannick Ben and Phoenix Prabhu is another highlight, delivering moments of exceptional intensity.
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However, the performances fall short, with none of the actors, including Tovino Thomas, leaving a lasting impression. Following his landmark role in Ajayante Randam Moshanamit’s only natural to expect good work from Tovino, but his portrayal of Haran falls flat, particularly in convincingly depicting Haran’s stoic and reserved nature. While Trisha’s character suffers from poor development, her performance does little to mitigate this. Her dubbing also feels disconnected and her acting often comes across as artificial, lacking naturality. Among the cast, Vinay Rai delivers the weakest performance, with his portrayal of the mysterious and grey-shaded moments of Allen Jacob feeling amateurish and, at times, even veering into caricature.
Identity movie cast: Tovino Thomas, Trisha, Vinay Rai, Archana Kavi, Aju Varghese
Identity movie director: Akhil Paul, Anas Khan
Identity movie rating: 2 stars
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