For Those Who Are Sick of Vampires That Sparkle

Thirst

Director Park Chan-Wook is the man behind such highly regarded Korean films as Old Boy, J.S.A., and Madame Vengeance. And his recent film Thirst possesses many of the same qualities that made his prior movies great, including well-developed characters, storyline with actual depth, and expertly composed scenes of sex and violence.

In the case of Thirst though, you have a movie that tries to be many things, but somehow seems less than the sum total of its parts. Still, it’s worth taking a look at, even if it doesn’t quite come together well.

Thirst picks up with a Catholic priest named Sang hyun (played by prolific Korean actor Song Kang-ho) who volunteers to take part in a dangerous medical experiment. The details of the experiment are glossed over, but it boils down to Sang hyun being infected with a disfiguring tropical disease. And out of 500 infected patients, Sang hyun is the sole survivor. Which does raise some questions about the ethics of the doctors involved. But regardless, the experiment leaves Sang-hyun with a new status as a faith healer, plus a rapidly developing Vampire nature.

And while Sang-hyun can manage his new bloodlust by feeding on coma patients, it’s his sexual longings that prove harder to control. Soon, Sang-hyun is having an affair with a woman named Tae-ju, the wife of Sang-hyun’s childhood friend. Tae-ju lives a depressing, Cinderella-like existence with her husband and mother-in-law, and at first appears to be a victim of her circumstances. But more and more, Tae-ju shows a darker, twisted side. After Tae-ju convinces Sang-hyun to murder her husband and later becomes a vampire herself, Tae-ju reveals herself as a straight-up sociopathic monster.

It’s safe to say that Tae-ju is an intriguing character, and that her portrayal by actress Kim Ok-vin is one of the better draws of the movie. The talent and range she brings to her part is stunning, and she deserves to have a long and prestigious career after Thirst.

But while Thirst brings a lot to the table, including horror, comedy, romance, and dark drama, many of the transitions between these stages just don’t flow well. Particularly when Song-hyun and Tae-ju are wracked with guilt, and start seeing the phantom of Tae-ju’s murdered husband.

Another problem is that Thirst feels more than a little long. A good editor could probably take out at least 15 minutes and leave us with a much stronger movie.

Still, I’d say that Thirst is worth taking a look at. Fans of Park Chan-wook’s previous films will appreciate what it is. And fans of vampire movies will find more to think about than the usual genre fare.

- Nate