If there's one genre within film that I could associate with Asian cinema, it is the crime genre. Time and time again has a film risen from the parts of Asia that has utterly blown me away with its style that is otherwise lost within typical modern films of the west, reminding me of what cinema is really about despite the depressing state of blockbuster films that plague the industry.
Black Coal, Thin Ice takes pride in a simplistic narrative, and a character-driven style with an interesting protagonist: a lonesome cop in China bent with solving a series of murders that essentially crippled their lives years back. Our protagonist, while suffering greatly from alcoholism and depression, refuses to let go of a past case that resulted in a shoot-out in which he was injured in, and stumbles across former colleagues working on a case that is seemingly identical.
This film, taking place in a snowy, decaying city within China is shot in a noir-esque manner. Cinematography is utterly stunning within the film and is often static, showing a whole lot of environment within the scenes. This allows for some truly beautiful composition and storytelling, promoting that feeling of our protagonists lonesome, static lifestyle in which the world around him is decay but full of life, life that is going on without him. With such cinematography, it's easy to get caught up in the beauty of the lighting, composition and the film's attention to detail.
A film directed in such a manner often gives off this dreamlike emotion, and I'm certain that's intentional with the way in which our protagonist feels and lives; having lost his career and resorting to alcoholism as the world passes by, these low-light, decayed environments rich in snow can be seen through his eyes, detailing his disinterest in the world and what it has to offer. Though, his attitude changes throughout the film and he shows interest in life with the company of a female that happens to be associated with the suspect of the serial murders.
Despite his new acquaintance, he remains as fixated on the case as ever, as small details begin to arise and combine to form some leads, and his detective skills return with this newfound attitude towards life. This is evident in a great scene in which he randomly decides to break out into dance while holding a lit cigarette; I mean, really, this a protagonist that you can't help but love despite his flaws. This progression in character seems to be what the film is for, rather than the narrative itself. You can't help but observe his changes and passion for solving the case, as if solving it is a necessity for closure and moving on.
These changes show that our protagonist needs someone to confide in, a woman to share his life with and experience things with, but also shows that it is far from the solution to his problems, the real solution, again, is that closure within the case.
Black Coal, Thin ice is a film that manages to hold your attention with its beautiful filmmaking and storytelling. It's methods of combining personal issues and narrative together results in an experience that is crafted excellently; there's action, crime, despair, and love within the film. Each part crafted to make you want more, to know just how this protagonist is going to end up in the future, never mind who was responsible for the serial murders themselves.
