Identity movie review: Despite its flaws, Tovino Thomas and Trisha’s pulsating, twist-laden thriller sets the bar high

3.5/5

Identity story: After witnessing a brutal crime, police officer Allan (Vinay Rai) brings the witness, Alisha (Trisha Krishnan), to Kochi to protect her from the killer. Their paths cross with Haran (Tovino Thomas), who aids the police as a sketch artiste. But when they finally find out that Alisha is suffering from a cognitive condition that doesn’t let her remember faces, the trio are forced to doubt each other’s intent.

Identity review: It’s safe to say that all eyes are on Malayalam cinema to see how the industry, which is restricted by its size, continues to defy the limits of budget to explore new terrain in storytelling. Though 2024 had a handful of hits, all of them were trendsetters in Indian cinema, and Identity, which is the first Malayalam release in 2025, could very well be the harbinger of what’s in store this year.

Technically brilliant and engaging, this pulsating thriller, which has Tovino Thomas, Vinay Rai and Trisha Krishnan, sets new standards for the industry – in terms of production quality, editing, cinematography and action. The makers weren’t bluffing when they said that Malayalam cinema hasn’t explored such a movie. They were clearly alluding to the fact of a twist-a-minute, cerebral thriller that has a production design on par with international films of the genre.

The movie revolves around three characters – circle inspector Allan, journalist and murder witness Alisha and Haran, who finds himself assisting the duo to track down the killer, because of his curious set of skills. What starts out as a revenge-driven murder for sexual assault and blackmail, soon exposes a larger underbelly where secrets are sold for crores and safety can never be taken for granted – even 35,000 ft high.

The best part of watching a film like Identity is the world it is set in. It’s something that’s rarely seen in Malayalam films, and definitely not something that is explored for the entire duration of a movie. The makers seem to have prioritised the ‘look and feel’ of the movie as much as its storytelling. And they don’t seem to have cut corners to achieve it either. You are treated to highway action scenes as well as tense sequences inside a commercial aircraft and private jet.

Though the attention to the visuals by cinematographer Akhil George makes it engaging, the plot ebbs and flows, inconsistently. There are too many twists that its directors, who are also its writers, have tried to squeeze in. The result is that Identity, even with its charms, feels bloated – especially in the second half.

The writing, explaining Alisha’s condition, is smart, and Allan’s backstory, and how it all connects to Haran does add depth to the plot. But it also makes the narrative unsteady – because you have put together the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle, which just keeps throwing new pieces, sometimes all too conveniently, together. Chamman Chakko, its editor, does a fantastic job of keeping all this down to less than 160 minutes while ensuring the movie remains pacy throughout.

Tovino is controlled as Haran, playing his discreet personality in the first half, only for the final reveal to pack a punch. His composure and refinement in the portrayal also go hand in hand with the visual aesthetic of the movie. Vinay Rai as Allan is an able foil to Haran; however, you did wish the dubbing could have brought more of his intensity. Allan somehow reflects the shades of his character in Etharkkum Thunindhavan, but doesn’t go beyond that.

Trisha Krishnan, sadly, feels wasted in the role of Alisha. The underwritten character could have been played by any other actress, and it wouldn’t have made any difference. Arjun Radhakrishnan, Shammi Thilakan and Archana Kavi play their supporting roles well. The less said about Mandira Bedi, who is also part of the film, the better.

Another department where Identity shines is its music, composed by Jakes Bejoy. There’s a continuous sense of tension as the movie progresses. Sometimes it does feel unnerving; for instance, the suspense in the commercial aircraft sequence is heightened more by its music than by what actually transpires on screen.

Identity verdict: If you are a fan of high-octane thrillers, then Tovino Thomas’ Identity will definitely appeal to you. With some smart writing, engaging pace, suspense and decent action, Identity sets Malayalam cinema off to a flying start in 2025.