I had certain expectations going into "Thirst," expectations that were not met. It's my own fault, and here's why: I associate Chan-wook Park a little too wholeheartedly with his peerless Vengeance Trilogy, and when I learned that "Thirst" is a vampire thriller, I assumed it would be a hyper-violent, taboo-pushing thought-provoker done in a similar vein (zing!). "Thirst" is indeed all of those things, but what starts out as a cold, foreboding vampire drama eventually turns toward more conventional fare. As South Korea's de facto response to "Let the Right One In," "Thirst" similarly embraces a visceral grit, though its aesthetic owes a bit more to the fantastic. At the very least, the film deserves credit for exploring new scenarios in which the vampire genre can address isolation, immorality and the human conscience, especially since it's a genre that, until recently, hasn't been known for its inventiveness.

Though rooted in horror, "Thirst" plays out more like a super-villain origin story, one that focuses on a main character whose very nature turns evil because of the extraordinary powers he comes to possess. That the main character, played by South Korean superstar Kang-ho Song, is a priest-turned-vampire doesn't make the movie any more dogmatic — it keeps Catholic morality lessons and stock lost-faith internal conflicts to a minimum. Kang-ho Song becomes a bloodsucker after receiving a transfusion of some tainted red stuff. He discovers his new "condition" in a manner that resembles a superhero realizing his/her super powers; for example, he inappropriately announces the discovery of his heightened sense of smell after picking up on special female blood, and he leaps out of a hospital window to test his presumed immortality. Kang-ho Song struggles to remain psychologically human, though the film suggests that his developing urges are perfectly normal — it just took turning into a vampire to make them emerge.

It's not completely off course to categorize "Thirst" as romance-horror. It is as far away from a special effects horror movie or violent slasher flick as possible, and the romance plot is more complex than a one-sentence summary would justify. And yet, "Thirst" concludes with a whimper. It prides itself on putting its character through elaborate trials both physical and psychological, and then is content to conclude without any payoff, without confidence and without inventiveness. The story is good, but the plot barely suffices. "Thirst" is unfortunately just a few scenes short being a truly unique experience. As is, it's a hyper-violent, taboo-pushing thought-provoker that runs out of things to say. ("Thirst" is now available on DVD.)
— Nick Cabreza