By a large margin, my favourite film of all time. First of all. It is comparable to Tsai's debut film, Rebels of a Neon God, in how it tackles the ironic theme of alienation in a mega-cities. The tension created by knowing that the boy has healthy sexual encounters with pretty girls, followed by what happens later, is almost unbearable to watch.
The link between his family strife and abuse and his neck pain is one of the most powerful metaphors ever seen in cinema. Tsai Ming-Liang has created an entirely new language of film-making here. Gone are the traditional 3act/ 5 act structure. His tragic fall from normality to submissive, silenced victim is unparalleled in modern cinema. There is only one Tsai Ming-Liang and there is only one 'The River'. Bravo!
The link between his family strife and abuse and his neck pain is one of the most powerful metaphors ever seen in cinema. Tsai Ming-Liang has created an entirely new language of film-making here. Gone are the traditional 3act/ 5 act structure. His tragic fall from normality to submissive, silenced victim is unparalleled in modern cinema. There is only one Tsai Ming-Liang and there is only one 'The River'. Bravo!