‘Only The River Flows’ Review – A Neo-Noir With A Crumbling Psychological Edge

There will always be a market for film noirs like Only the River Flows, whether foreign or domestic. It’s not that today’s society is morbidly curious or has a greater fascination with the utterly macabre than previous generations. In fact, there has been a dramatic drop in violent crimes since the early 1990s. It’s simply that we now have information about such heinous acts and unsolved mysteries at our fingertips.

Asian cinema has its own noir style, with notable examples coming from Hong Kong (Infernal Affairs) and South Korea (Decision to Leave). The Chinese film Only the River Flows continues a recent trend of great noir films from China, such as Black Coal, Thin Ice, and The Wild Goose Lake. However, Shujun Wei’s film is a bit of a throwback. It combines classic and modern cinematography with the brooding, crumbling intensity of its main character.

The story is set in rural 90s China and follows Ma Zhe (a terrific Zhu Yilong), a detective with a baby on the way with his wife, Bai Jie (Chloe Maayan). He begins to investigate a series of murders in a small country town where a river seems to be the main attraction. An older woman is found murdered, and the local madman she adopted is the prime suspect.

Yilong’s superior (Tianlai Hou) has high hopes for him and believes he is the only man for the job. He sees him as the “modern” cop for the new 90s detective era. However, as the suspects pile up alongside the body count, Zhe’s past begins to haunt him as much as the violent crimes he investigates. There are all sorts of different types of suspects to be had. The suspected deviant, a jilted lover, and the supposedly shy fiancé could all be the killer.

This is all woven into a script by Shujun and Kang Chunlei (Ripples of Life). They skillfully combine themes of isolation and alienation. These themes play critical roles in stories of small-town conflicts, personal vendettas, and buried secrets. Based on the novel Mistakes by the River by Yu Hua, Shujun blends classic noir themes. These include alienation, a classic aspect of urbanization, and isolation, a hallmark of rural noir.

Shujun sets a raw tone and atmosphere that grabs the viewer’s attention. With the help of cinematographer Chengma Zhiyuan (My People, My Country), a muted color palette adds to this. Also, a strong contrast between light and dark—known as Chiaroscuro lighting—is stunningly effective. In addition, the strong sense of psychological framing ratchets up the unease and instability of the lead character as the story pushes ahead.

However, star Yilong Zhu carries Only the River Flows because of a brooding performance full of thoughtful introspection. Initially, his portrayal is something the audience can rely on. Presenting an empathetic figure with a steady hand that guides them through the investigation. However, as the film progresses, each crack and setback starts to eat at Zhu’s Ma Zhe, leaving us uncertain about where the detective begins to crumble.

This all leads up to a third-act shot, filmed digitally to give it a unique look compared to the rest of the film, that combines all of Zhe’s haunting memories—past, present, and even future. It is something I personally have never seen in a film before. Its modern scenes like this, combined with classic respect for the genre, make this a neo-noir with a psychological edge that is chilling by the end and lingers long after the end credits roll.

Only the River Flows is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of KimStim.