10 Horror Movie “Mistakes” That Were Totally Intentional

7. Ed's Speedometer Is Zero - Identity

Planet Terror
Sony Pictures Releasing

In one of the establishing scenes in James Mangold's twisty thriller Identity, we're introduced to protagonist Ed Dakota (John Cusack) while he's working as a limousine driver and chauffeuring a client around.

But seconds before Ed is involved in a car accident, check out the speedometer on his car - it's at zero, despite the fact that Ed is very clearly driving at a decent speed.

A mistake? Not quite - or at least not a real one.

It's important to remember that Identity's big plot twist is that most of the movie's characters, including Ed, aren't actually real - they're dissociative personalities in the mind of a murderer, Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince), who are battling it out to become the one remaining persona.

So it absolutely tracks that the speedometer on Ed's car wouldn't register anything, because of course the car isn't really going anywhere, because neither the vehicle nor Ed himself actually exist. Brilliant.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.