A dangerous killer is stalking Spokane, and it turns out all of his victims were former romantic partners of a local police officer—played by Ray Liotta. The film poses the question: what's the killer’s motive for targeting these specific women? Ving Rhames portrays the police captain, while Christian Slater appears as an FBI agent. “The River Murders” (2011) fits within the genre of dark and disturbing murder mysteries like “The General’s Daughter” and “Kiss the Girls.” While it doesn't reach the heights of the first film, I think it’s a step above the second one. It shares similarities with the lesser-known movie "Cold Blooded." What makes this film worthwhile are its atmospheric tone, the quality of the acting, the recognizable Spokane settings, and the cast involved. To enjoy it, you have to be okay with a story that doesn't shy away from uncomfortable subjects—things perhaps best left unmentioned, like what happens to the victims’ jewelry or details about past romantic experiences. It gets pretty explicit. Would you really want to know those kinds of things about someone you work with or are married to? Probably not. The FBI agent also comes across as excessively rude; I might find fault with it, but we've all encountered people like that. If you can accept the roughness and unpleasantness, there’s a lot to appreciate beyond what’s already been mentioned—things like moments of conflict, redemption, starting over, a sense of reverence despite the grim circumstances, and some thought-provoking reflections on passages from the Old Testament. I read that someone felt the film was too harsh toward Christians, but the killer himself doesn't seem to be a believer, considering the Bible states that "no [impenitent] murderer has eternal life residing in him" (1 John 3:15). Was Jim Jones a Christian? Certainly not. Furthermore, this character is balanced by Harlan (Patrick Treadway), who’s presented as an upstanding and kind minister. Sarah Ann Schultz provides a strong female performance as the detective's partner. The film has a running time of 1 hour, 32 minutes. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB