Thirst

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Thirst

R

2009

2h 13m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

119 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a respected priest, volunteers for an experimental procedure that may lead to a cure for a deadly virus. He gets infected and dies, but a blood transfusion of unknown origin brings him back to life as a vampire. Now, Sang-hyun is torn between faith and bloodlust, and has a newfound desire for Tae-ju (Kim Ok-bin), the wife of his childhood friend.

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Critics Consensus

The stylish Thirst packs plenty of bloody thrills to satisfy fans of both vampire films and director Chan Wook Park.

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

10/20/2009

3/5

Park is clearly an exceptional director capable of being weirdly funny, quirkily fantastical, brutal and sexy, sometimes at one and the same time. There's no one quite like him.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

10/16/2009

With its rapacious appetites and forceful directing style, is definitely a vampire film for grown-ups.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

10/16/2009

3/5

Not one of Park's best films, but it has bite.

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Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Aug 28

In Park’s hands, the vampire’s sensuous power is immediately an ironic torment.

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Alisha Mughal

The Asian Cut

10/08/2024

4/5

In turn beautiful and repugnant, saintly and devilish, Thirst is a feast, a ball, an extravaganza of bodies, blood, and life; but it takes its time in getting to it, in the way that we take our time in getting sick.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

10/27/2023

He just wants to save people but he emerges as a bloodsucker... a man torn between morality and instinct, faith and desires of the flesh (and blood).

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Kevin L

@Lakeman Mar 1

I'm generally a considerable fan of Chan-wook's films, but this one hit me more like "Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance" than his other films I've seen. Overly long, it could've made for a fine 90-min. or so movie. The original setup, the priest who acts in a charitable, 'godly' manner w/ good intentions dies as a result, but is 'saved' only to become a man driven by blood lust, erotic lust, and the fall that comes with it. Song Kang-ho gives his usual strong performance. Kim Ok-bin is equally good, if not better. Support roles are competently acted. It just got tedious for me. Felt like some themes/ideas were repeated more than necesary as they were clear already. 3.2 stars

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Christian K

@ckacar 10/23/2024

Off the rails crazy. With enough bloody and sexual imagery to more than support its runtime. This was awesome.

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Emilliano Jr S

@emill_santos 08/16/2024

Overlong for a vampire romance movie.

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Hargie M

@RT23951751 07/13/2024

One aspect of "Thirst" that I particularly appreciated was its blend of genres. It’s not just a horror film; it’s also darkly humorous and tragically romantic. This mix keeps the story engaging and unpredictable. The film’s use of religious symbolism and ethical dilemmas adds layers to the narrative, making me reflect on themes of sin, redemption, and the complexities of human desire.

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Alec B

@Alec97 01/09/2024

Great elements are here (i.e. having the vampire be a Priest, the ways control and desire are intertwined) but I think that ultimately Chan Wook Park couldn't find a compelling way to connect these ideas.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown 11/09/2023

South Korean film where a priest is turned into a vampire. It's interesting to see how the culture juxtaposes being devout with being erotic and bloodthirsty.

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Synopsis

Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a respected priest, volunteers for an experimental procedure that may lead to a cure for a deadly virus. He gets infected and dies, but a blood transfusion of unknown origin brings him back to life as a vampire. Now, Sang-hyun is torn between faith and bloodlust, and has a newfound desire for Tae-ju (Kim Ok-bin), the wife of his childhood friend.

Director: Park Chan-wook
Producer: Park Chan-wook, Ahn Suhyeon
Screenwriter: Park Chan-wook, Jeong Seo-kyeong
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Moho Film
Rating: R (Graphic Bloody Violence|Disturbing Images|Language|Nudity|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 31, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $296.4K
Runtime: 2h 13m

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