Starring Tovino Thomas and Trisha Krishnan, the eagerly awaited Malayalam action film Identity begins 2025 with a mix of excitement and perplexity.
The film, which was directed by Akhil Paul and Anas Khan, delves deeply into psychological and scientific causes, but at the sacrifice of the suspenseful, thriller-like tension we anticipate.
This is a thorough explanation of why Identity is more about style than content.
The cast: Trisha and Tovino Thomas Performances Don’t Make an Impact
Although there were high hopes for the movie because Tovino Thomas was playing the protagonist, his portrayal of Haran falls flat. Haran’s stern demeanour is difficult for Tovino to express well, and his performance comes across as unconnected to the viewer.
Despite being a seasoned actress, Trisha’s performance occasionally feels forced, as if she is not in tune with her character’s emotional anguish.
Additionally shallow is Vinay Rai’s portrayal of the enigmatic CI Allen Jacob, who at times devolves into a caricature rather than a law enforcement official. The whole experience of the movie is further weakened by the cast’s lack of chemistry.
Overview of the Plot: Tovino Thomas and Trisha Krishnan Lead the Thrills Identity
tells the tale of Tovino Thomas’s character, Haran Shankar, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) as a result of a dysfunctional upbringing.
He carries on his mother’s creative aptitude and develops into a very talented sketch artist. When Haran meets CI Allen Jacob (Vinay Rai) and investigative journalist Alisha (Trisha Krishnan), who turns out to be a crucial witness to a vicious murder, the story takes off in Kochi.
Alisha, who possesses eidetic memory, encounters an unexpected turn of events as the investigation progresses: following the traumatic occurrence, she suffers prosopagnosia, or face blindness.
She finds it almost impossible to identify the murderer because of this condition, which sets Haran and Allen on an exciting quest to discover a network of sinister secrets. In order to solve the murder, the three must work quickly to identify the culprit, but will Alisha be able to recognise faces again in time?
Strengths: Magnificent Action Scenes and Outstanding Visuals
Identity excels in the action genre even though its plot and characters are difficult to maintain. The thrilling vehicle pursuit scene, which keeps viewers on the tip of their seats, is one of the highlights.
The film desperately requires an adrenaline rush, which is provided by the climax, which consists of a high-stakes fight on an aeroplane.
Every picture of the film has an extravagant visual touch because to Akhil George’s cinematography. Identity is visually engaging thanks to the work of costume designers Gayathri Kishore and Malini as well as art director Saby Misra. Chaman Chakko’s editing heightens the suspense during action sequences, making up for the script’s numerous shortcomings.
Weaknesses: Plot holes and a lack of emotional depth
Identity struggles to make a powerful emotional impression in spite of its stunning cinematography and action-packed scenes. The characters are still undeveloped, particularly Haran and Alisha.
Although Haran’s OCPD is occasionally brought up, it has no discernible impact on his persona. Alisha’s internal conflict is overpowered by psychiatric jargon in Trisha Krishnan’s portrayal, which also fails.
Her character doesn’t change much, and the movie doesn’t go far enough in examining the seriousness of her prosopagnosia.
Additionally, the film has a complicated plot with a lot of pointless jump cuts and time gaps, which makes the narrative seem disjointed.
Critical twists are also presented too late and don’t have the build-up to have a significant effect. The narrative pacing and reasoning frequently feel forced, making the movie feel robotic when compared to comparable Malayalam thrillers.