Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Kang-ho Song | ... | Sang-hyun (as Song Kang-ho) | |
![]() |
Hee-jin Choi | ... | Nurse Sa |
![]() |
Dong-soo Seo | ... | Hyo-sung |
![]() |
Hwa-ryong Lee | ... | Doctor Ku |
Mi-ran Ra | ... | Nurse Yu | |
In-hwan Park | ... | Priest Roh (as Park In-hwan) | |
Eriq Ebouaney | ... | Emmanuel Research Director (as Eriq Ebouney) | |
![]() |
Thati Pele | ... | Emmanuel Research Nun (as Onthatile Peele) |
![]() |
Jong-ryol Choi | ... | Grandfather |
![]() |
Yong-wan Goo | ... | Devotee |
Hwang Woo-seul-hye | ... | Whistle Girl | |
Kim Hae-sook | ... | Mrs. Ra | |
Shin Ha-kyun | ... | Kang-woo | |
Kim Ok-bin | ... | Tae-ju (as Kim Ok-vin) | |
Dal-su Oh | ... | Young-du (as Oh Dal-su) |
Sang-hyun, a priest working for a hospital, selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project intended to eradicate a deadly virus. However, the virus eventually takes over the priest. He nearly dies, but makes a miraculous recovery by an accidental transfusion of vampire blood. He realizes his sole reason for living: the pleasures of the flesh. Written by Pusan International Film Festival
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.