Stolen Identity | JFF Plus: Online Festival 2020 Review

By Clari @clarisaysblog

A smartphone can be a treasure trove.

It is a line from the film Stolen Identity released in 2018. The line may seem like an understatement; however, it is a fact and valid in several situations. This film does not need to teach us this, but sadly, it is something that people often neglect.

STOLEN IDENTITY (2018)

Director: Hideo Nakata - Mystery, Thriller

Synopsis - Surreal terror of the heroine is depicted throughout the film after personal information from a smartphone is stolen, which later leads to a murder case.One day, Asami calls her boyfriend, but a stranger answers the phone. He explains he found her boyfriend's phone and returns it a few days later. Since then, strange things keep happening to Asami. She is now a target of a serial killer who gradually exposes her secret.

The Review

Stolen Identity (2018) is not the best in this genre. But it is worth mentioning that the film did give us a mystery to solve along with the thrill; not to mention, some twists and turns that make you ponder.

What kept me going was how the characters reacted in every situation. Come to think of it, those are true. That is how people are in reality. You see, there is a scene wherein the antagonist tries to unlock a smartphone by finding possible passwords.

Do you know what he did?

He searches a platform called Social Book to look for links - not hyperlinks more like leads. And he was able to! He found the profile and the birthday of that person. Take note, NEVER use your birthday as a password ever! If you do, mix and match with other symbols, letters or numbers. Also, do not use obvious passwords. For instance, the street racer character in the film chose his plate number as a password.

Now, let me share with you the problems I encountered while watching. There are too many twists and turns; not to mention, characters with their own story. There is Asami, our main lead. There is also her boyfriend, her friend, and her past. Let us not forget the detective as well as the main antagonist.

The purpose of a plot twist is to surprise the audience. It may be, foreshadowed, to prepare the audience as the story transitions. But with several of these elements, there is a feeling of unnecessary dragging and confusion. So towards the end, instead of being surprised by the huge plot twist, you start to question why.

You see, the film did not only present a story of stealing personal information, but also stealing an entire identity. Our main female lead has a deep past that could have taken centre stage.

Main Image: Screenshot from IMDb