Ten strangers are stranded at a motel as an unrelenting storm floods the roads in and out of town. One by one the strangers are killed and with each body a single key with a number is found. The countdown starts at 10 and those remaining must figure out who the killer is before the countdown is over and their number is up.

Before the skeptics say that they’ve seen this kind of movie a thousand times, take my advice and don’t count this one out yet. “Identity” truly brings the psychological thriller genre to new heights. Normally in a movie such as this the question on everyone’s mind is who the killer is. But in “Identity,” the more important question is: who are these 10 strangers?

Reminiscent of the blockbuster hit “The Sixth Sense,” screenwriter Michael Cooney places several subtle clues throughout the movie pointing towards an ending that, despite his hints, few will see coming. Maybe it was all the hype surrounding “The Sixth Sense” that lessened that experience for me, but this movie will leave you more than satisfied.

John Cusack flexes his acting muscles as Ed, a limo driver and ex-LAPD cop. Cusack has proven himself in comedic roles before and now he’s showing that typecasting him is a big mistake. Ray Liotta plays Rhodes, a corrections officer transporting a less than balanced convicted killer played by Jake Busey. These two add a very entertaining element to this thriller, as Busey plays a psycho who is both funny and scary in boasting a doozey of a secret, and a doozey it is.

Liotta has shown time and time again that no matter what the genre, he can provide intensity while still delivering hilarious one-liners in any setting. The rest of the cast is rounded out by silver screen veteran Rebecca De- Mornay, rising star Amanda Peet, along with Clea DuVall, John Hawkes, John C. McGinley, William Lee Scott, Leila Kenzle, Bret Loehr and Alfred Molina.

Now of course in any movie where there are multiple people getting knocked off there are certain points when it is obvious who is about to get the axe. But after the first 15 minutes of most movies in this genre you can already spot most of the characters that won’t outlast your jumbo popcorn. Don’t worry though; there are a few surprising character “exits.” While there are some predictable deaths in “Identity,” the movie still hits a home run because the reason behind those somewhat predictable deaths is what blows the mind. This is not another movie about a serial killer knocking off people who were mean to him in high school. As the 10 strangers gradually realize they all share certain similarities and the reason behind them being brought to this seedy motel in the middle of nowhere is revealed, the story just gets better and better.

Some great actors, jarring plot twists, and an ending that beats the twist in “The Sixth Sense” make “Identity” a movie worth seeing. “Identity” is one of the best psychological thrillers in a long time.