Thirst, ceci est mon sang...

No pun intended. I'm not going to spoil anything about the story, but it's safe to assume that you already know, what kind of character the main actor portrays. And of course being a priest while being "naughty" exaggerates all that. Plus this is the most erotic movie from Park Chan Wook yet.

If you have seen Wook's previous works/movies you know he is very visual (in a good way) and it shows again here. While it strays away from the vengeance theme of his prior movies on the surface, it still has quite some heat hidden underneath. And when that boils, quite a few bad things start to happen. But through all that dark, there also moments of light (fun) to be had too. A very stylistic and though provoking movie, that lives outside the mainstream and does a very good job ...

More excellent film-making from Park Chan-wook, who shows no signs of flagging in his quest to bring his unique brand of inventive and unique movies to the world. This is his version of a traditional vampire movie, and while it's not quite as quirky as I'd expected from this director, it certainly packs a punch and proves a breath of fresh air in a cinematic world inundated by the latest Twilight movies.

Put simply, THIRST holds your attention. The storyline, about a priest who finds himself infected with a blood virus and then is slowly transformed into a bloodsucker, is never less than thoroughly entertaining. It goes without saying that the direction is flawless – every scene and sequence is expertly crafted, leaving no margin for error. Emphasis is on characterisation throughout, which is always a strong point, and the actors have the talent to fully bring their roles to life; the main actress is particularly fascinating.

Overall, this is a gruesome, gripping, melancholic look at the world of the vampire. Be warned, it's explicit and often in your face, but as with the rest of the director's output, this is a film that sets out to challenge assumptions and overcome cliché. It works a treat.

Thirst: A bit speechless. Where to begin reviewing this film? Well, it is certainly a fantastic Thriller, some elements of Horror and Gore. It is unlike any film I have seen, and I have seen it all! Psychological, disturbing, creepy at times, culturally quite accurate (Korean), a must see for fans of Vampirism for sure, but also anyone that wants to see a disturbing, complex, form of a Thriller. I have not seen any other films by this Director but I certainly will be doing so now. Thirst has a bit of everything in it - not strictly about vampires by far. And to those reviews that mention that it is "Twilight" for adults? You have it wrong. It is nothing like Twilight. Yes, there are some similar traits but no, it is not a Vampire Romance...it is SO much more than that and the other positive reviews are bang-on and speak for themselves. I particularly enjoyed the character developments, the struggles with faith, family, friends as well as the eerie facial expressions. What a creative and well-written story. You need to see this for yourself and come to your own conclusions!

If you love Chan-wook Park, you know what to expect. His films are brutal, poetic, tragic, and artistic, with splashes of very grim humor. THIRST is clearly Park's style, and I loved every second of it, from the cinematography (every shot is gorgeous and creative) to the story, which blends Shakespearean tragedy, murderous love, Gothic horror, and layered character drama. The characters are complex and there is plenty of moral ambiguity to go around. Even the most sociopathic character evokes sympathy. The direction is restrained and the performances are nuanced - like SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, there are too many subtleties to take in on the first viewing. Chan-wook Park is an intelligent, bold, consistently surprising filmmaker. It's unpredictable - scenes go from brutal and heart-wrenching to laugh-out-loud hilarious in an instant. This is closer to LADY VENGEANCE then SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE as far as being over-the-top and comical. But, like LADY VENGEANCE, it's incredibly rich, thought-provoking, and rewarding.

If you like beautifully told vampire stories (LET THE RIGHT ONE IN) or are a fan of Chan-wook Park, seeing THIRST should be obvious. Easily one of the best films of 2009.

Talk about getting your socks knocked off, this newest amazing movie from Park Chan-wook's would be my favorite new take on the vampire genre, if not for "Let the Right One In", which still remains my fav, but this one is right behind it. A Catholic Priest volunteers for some radical medical experiments, that turn him into a vampire. He tries his best to be a good vampire, and not kill anybody, but it's pretty clear, that's going to be rather difficult. Park mixes in some black comedy into this one, just as he does in most of his earlier films, but the subject matter is dead serious. It also has one of the best vampire sex scenes I have ever seen. The vampire Priest steals blood from hospitals and anywhere he can find it, but when he meets his new lover, things pretty much go downhill, when she wants to become a vampire too. This is an excellent entry into the vampire genre, and continues Park Chan-wook's amazing body of work. This is not to be missed, every minute of the 134 min running time is entertaining as hell.