Black Coal, Thin Ice

An inscrutable noir tragedy vaguely Lynchian without the omnipresent droning, at times absurd, always beautifully photographed and, for distinct stretches, completely confusing, Black Coal, Thin Ice is a genuinely difficult film to relax into, but a captivating watch nonetheless.

Telling the story, over a number of years, of a mysterious killer who leaves the body parts of his victims strewn across various far-flung locations, the film shifts through its plot, often not waiting for you to catch up. The gun-work is visceral, the locations evocative and the dialogue minimal. You’ve been warned.