Thirst

• UNCUT FILM REVIEW: THIRST
• DIRECTED BY Park Chan-Wook
• STARRING Song Kang-Ho, Kim Ok-Vin

The latest crazed fantasy from Korean director Park Chan-Wook (Old Boy, Lady Vengeance) is a ripe stew of horror, erotica and tragedy. It’s scandalously self-indulgent, but there’s no denying its invention and visual power.

While its most dazzling scenes recall David Cronenberg’s The Fly and Schrader’s Catpeople, it topples into self-parody in spells, as if John Waters was remaking In The Realm Of The Senses.

A priest (Song) selflessly volunteers for a vaccination trial to conquer a deadly virus. He survives, but mutates into a vampire. No clichéd garlic or stakes through the heart for Park however, as the protagonist “borrows” coma victims and sucks their blood through I.V. tubes.

When he meets a friend’s unhappy wife (Kim), he struggles with new-found carnal urges. Soon lust is as dominant as blood-lust, and the pair goes at it like hammers. She persuades him to “convert” her, but this town might not be big enough for two thirsty, violent, rampaging, morally conflicted monsters.

CHRIS ROBERTS

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Rating: 3 / 10

(Opens Oct 16/ Cert 18/ 133 mins)