Thirst [2009]

Though I love movies and horror films – I’ve realized lately that I don’t really like vampire films. I only really count 2 as favorites – and another on the fringe. So, I’ve put off watching Thirst for a while now – out of fear of watching a movie that I’m really going to dislike.

Father Sang-Hyun is feeling a bit unfulfilled giving last rites to dying patients – he decides to volunteer to help with an experiment to find a cure to a mysterious disease. The experiment is a failure – and he dies – and suddenly is alive again – back as a vampire.

What I liked about this film is that it doesn’t romanticize vampirism – even though the people who learn of Hyun’s affliction believe it’s the answer for their ills. It’s no gift to Hyun to live in this way – it’s a curse.

Putting a man of the cloth is the role of becoming a vampire is also extremely interesting. Hyun has such a heavy Catholic guilt that causes his reactions to some of his own actions far more realistic. The vampirism stirs up a beast within him – that’s not only thirsty for blood – but also sins of the flesh. You also run into some of the breakdowns in the typical vampire clichés – like the crucifix and fangs ignored – making it not a fear of the unconverted foreigner – but a disease that can affect any.

The film also plays on the dangers of “good” – and because Hyun is a pious man – he’s used to doing the “right” thing – but given his new found corruption – it poses some very difficult problems for the newly fallen from the Lord’s graces.

The film is sexy and perverse – graphic and realistic – all of which that helped draw me into the film more. The effects of some of the vampire’s new talents – are well integrated into the film and don’t dominate the scene.

Chan-wook Park knows how to set-up a premise, knows how to tell a story – and is a fantastic director. My only problem is with pacing – the film feels like it drags a bit toward the end – and it just gets a little less interesting. That’s not to say I didn’t like the end of the film – which I did – I thought it ended in a bitter laugh that was quite fulfilling. That’s the other thing – he knows how to work in humor as a part of the story – and the dark humor in Thirst really works well.

So, I’ll be adding this film to my list of vampire films that I really like – giving it a 4 out of 5 – this one is even worth recommending to disenfranchised horror film fans.