Thirst is essentially a survival thriller. In what feels like an apocalyptic world but in fact, could be representative of many terrorist or natural disasters that people face. In this case, Thirst as a title clearly signals what vital resource is under threat.
We meet Jose (Brian Villalobos) and Lucy (Lori Kovacevich), first up in “Thirst” who are a middle-aged couple who share a desire to have a baby. While Jose strives to advance in his professional career, he finds himself afflicted by sleepless nights. Adding to the complexity of their lives, Jose’s half-sister Vickey (Federica Estaba Rangel) navigates a troubled relationship with Lisa (Stephanie Slayton), a musician known for her casual conspiracy theories.
Within their circle, Jose and Lucy also have their friends Sarah (Sarah Jack), Dom (P. Michael Hayes II), and Trent (Scotty Walker), a yard worker in their neighborhood.
Writer and director Eric Owen creates several conflicts between characters that work independently to the crux of the storyline. The somber title explores the power and resilience of the family unit in times of great adversity. Undrinkable tap water causes chaos within the town. However, all this falls victim to the presence of too much drama and not enough of the water crisis. Instead of concentrating on the action, we get to know these people pretty well. And they simply aren’t that interesting.
Thirst: A Tale of Family, Dreams, and Challenges
The result is a movie that is extremely hard to follow and lacks tension. It’s the kind of movie that leaves you with questions and I must admit needing to rewatch a few parts of this 2023 horror movie to answer them.
The performances in Thirst are consistently what holds the disjointed narrative core up. The idea, however, is solid. What’s in the water that’s causing insomnia is a great angle and provides an interesting viewpoint on escalating desperation in a relatable situation.
Since the release of Thirst on September 3, 2023, reviews for the film have not been positive. Make your own mind up and watch it on Apple TV in the USA along with plenty of other platforms streaming the film.
Thirst was provided as a screener for review purposes.
“Protect our waterways.”
Title card at the end of “Thirst” conveying a message about water.
Thirst is rated
2 Mowing the lawn on meth out of 5
Survival Skills Training For Adults, In a Horror Movie Way
