Thirst

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Kim Ok-bin, Seo Dong-soo, Ra Mi-ran, In-hwan Park, Eriq Ebouaney, Kim Hae-sook, Shin Ha-kyun
Directed by: Chan-wook Park
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A priest (Song Kang-ho) takes part in a medical experiment, which changes him into a vampire.

Review:

Tim: I've been trying to see more international films, and it's bothered me that I haven't seen more of Chan-wook Park's work. Oldboy and The Handmaiden are two excellent films, and while I didn't enjoy Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance much, it had flashes of Park's brilliance. Thirst feels like it slots in above that film, but clearly below his best work. I enjoyed this South Korean movie, reveled in its originality, but ultimately, I wasn't as invested as I needed to be. This is a good movie, but somewhat unremarkable.

The film is always interesting, though. It's like Park decided to make a vampire movie, but to do it grounded in drama, style, and to make it a serious affair. I feel like some critics immediately dismiss movies about subjects like vampires, but Park turns it into an artsy affair here. He absolutely elevates the material. This is a movie about vampires, yes, but it's more a character study. We see what happens to this priest when his entire existence is upended and he finds new hungers, new demands on himself. Park never loses sight of the characters- this is first and foremost about the people inhabiting the film. The story supports them.

I found the characters interesting, but at 2 hours, 14 minutes, the film is too long. The characters are complex, but they're mostly unlikable and it started to wear on me by the end of the film. I was intrigued by them, but I never cared about any of them. Some of them I was happy to see killed off. I never became as invested as I needed to be in any of their stories. The movie's long run time eventually creates a feeling of redundancy, as the story needed more momentum. The beginning is interesting, the climax is outstanding, but the soggy middle pulls the entire film down. It's not as compelling as the bookend aspects of the film. Park needed to do more editing, to cut out some of the fat in the middle.

Song Kang-ho was excellent in the lead role. He's truly a talented actor and he gives a strong performance here. He's able to convey so much through his words and actions. I might not have loved his character, but I was always interested in him, wanting to dig deeper into his psyche and his motivations. Kim Ok-bin doesn't seem to be as talented as Song, but she gives a very worthwhile performance. She rises to the occasion and leaves you thinking about her character long after the film wraps. Shin Ha-kyun adds a strong supporting performance- he's not always likable, but he is absolutely memorable as he elicits a range of emotions from the audience. Kim Hae-sook also adds an exceptionally strong supporting performance, too. The entire cast works well and gives strong performances, but this is clear Song and Kim's show, and they deliver.

As you might expect from Park's work, the movie often takes gruesome and challenging turns. Some of the bloodsucking visuals are a bit hard to stomach, especially as Park shoots them with a detached air, like what we're seeing is commonplace. It gives it an uncomfortable feeling. The visuals work throughout, Park has always had a good eye and he leverages special effects excellently- to see these vampires leap and do things humans could never do, it all feels believable.

I give Park a ton of credit for creating a serious, dramatic, yet gruesome vampire movie. Thirst has its flaws and it does weigh on you a bit, but the slow, plodding, and redundant pieces don't totally sink the movie. It's memorable and unique, which is exactly what you'd expect from Park. In the end, I enjoyed this movie and while it's not among his best, it's a film I am glad I watched.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Oldboy, Parasite, The Handmaiden