Two outcasts from society, the drug-addicted Hulda and the thousand-year-old gay vampire Hjörtur, bond over shared experiences of loneliness, unloved affection, and a lack of direction in their lives. Meanwhile, an evil cult is trying to bring about the apocalypse, a nosy detective is investigating Hulda, and Hjörtur is cruising for men to meet for a bite. With rocking synth music, over-the-top gore, and ultra slick lighting, this film is a delicious and campy homage to the monster and slasher movies of the eighties.
Thirst shows us that there’s not much fun in holding back. Blood splatters, limbs are shred, fog makes only the most timely of appearances, rain pours as Hjörtur screams to the sky in anguish over the mistakes he has made.
While Thirst teeters on the verge of going over the top, of being almost too much, at its core there is a genuine and heartfelt story about the pain of loss, forgiveness, and redemption. The tools of camp and parody are deftly used to tell us the story of two people, from different backgrounds, coming together in a time of need. Though at times it may seem goofy or strange, Thirst shows that no matter how much you may feel shunned and unwanted by the world, you are not alone. Somewhere, there is a person, a tribe – or a vampire – waiting to welcome you as one of their own.
– Derrek Wall
