Famed director and violence maestro Park Chan-Wook turns his camera to the world of the undead with this 2009 erotic horror film. It's the story of a priest who signs up to be an experimental test subject in order to find a cure for the Emmanuel Virus, a deadly worldwide disease. Things don't go according to plan as he is infected and dies...and returns as a vampire.
He soon becomes involved with the family of a childhood friend who come to see the man of God who has become a bit of a celebrity for returning from the dead. He develops an attraction to his friend's neglected wife and the two fall into a pretty sexually explicit relationship. The rest of the film deals with him trying to balance his growing need for human blood (in order to keep the virus in check in his body) and his growing love for this woman. Unfortunately, he discovers that each action he takes has consequences that lead him further from the right path. You know, "With great power comes great responsibility." Or, 강대국으로 중대한 책임은 온다
It's a beautifully shot film and it's easy to see why Park has such a strong reputation. The performances by Song Kang-ho as the priest and, especially, Kim Ok-bin as the object of his desire give the characters needed emotional depth. However, at 133 minutes, it's too long, dragging at times in the middle. It's difficult for horror and comedy films to maintain their tension and edge at that length no matter how well made they are.
But along with Let the Right One In, it proves to be a strong addition to the genre in a good year for vampires.
