Film Review: Thirst (2009)
Thirst (2009). Co-written and directed by Park Chan-wook. Set in South Korea, the film starts with Catholic priest Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) who is having a crisis of faith. To try and resolve it he volunteers at a research facility to test a vaccine for a fatal disease. The test fails and he contracts the disease, which causes him to vomit blood. He receives a blood transfusion, and then unlike any of the other patients to-date he recovers. Thirst is a long film, 2.5 hours, so has the chance to tell quite a rich story. It has a vampire background, but much like say The Hunger (1983) it's less about the vampirism and more about the reality of living with such a condition. Kang-ho and the supporting cast are very good, as are the special effects (both physical and CG) on what is a limited budget. The film almost has a black comedy edge to it at times, with the emphasis firmly on black. Inevitably the film is quite gory. Recommended for horror fans that would prefer something not mainstream. 4/5 (Good)