Thirst and Survival: A Movie Review

Thirst DVD Artwork

Director: Jeffery Scott Lando.

Writers: Joel Newman, and Kurt Volkan.

First Look Studios is an independent movie company based in Century City, California, with over a thousand titles in their film catalogue. This studio specializes in DVD and television and was previously a subsidiary of the now dissolved Ventura Distribution. One of First Look's latest titles is the straight to DVD Jeffery Scott Lando directed Thirst. The film was released on this format June 22nd and this film stars the very recognizable Lacey Chabert ("Party of Five"). Chabert is no longer an awkward adolescent, but a full grown women as the first scene suggests. Thirst is an important entry in the survivalist horror genre for showing the brutality of California's desert. The film is also important for showing man's or, from a reductionist viewpoint, a person's gene's survivalist tendencies.

The film correctly focuses in on four young characters on a fun trip in to the desert for a picturesque photo shoot. The characters include Noelle (Chabert), Bryan (Tygh Runyan), Tyson (Brandon Quinn), and Atheria (Mercedes McNab). All four listed are coupled up, with one married couple expecting their first child. Completely unknowledgeable of the potential fatalities a desert can bring, these four adventure seekers head out in to "Devil's Children" (Thirst) expecting fun in the sun. Instead, each character will soon face an ancient, natural danger that leaves few standing and many seeking water, desperately.

The film uses a minimalist cast and a natural setting to create a truly horrifying experience. There are no visible special effects here and none are needed. The sun in its natural state reduces the cast to shells of their former selves, after a major car wreck. Writers Joel Newman, and Kurt Volkan create believable characters who go to truly extreme measures to survive. Think peeing in a bottle on a long car trip, but much worse!

Genes are programmed for survival and the characters in Thirst do there best to stay alive in an apocalyptic landscape, despite a general lack of mental abilities. The writers have also written in some dangers associated with the desert that are very likely and watching characters succumb to poison, or other threats made this reviewer squirm, often. Nothing is able to create horror more effectively than reality and real life situations e.g. unpreparedness, predators, and hostile environments. Thirst is important for creating a believable thrilling situation, while showing an alternate, re-hydrating uses for saline breast implants. This film is simply well done, like many of the characters in the film.

Thirst is a believable survivalist themed horror film that deserves a lot more attention and respect than what the film is currently receiving. Important for creating believable situations, characters, and conflicts, Thirst is a film that must be seen on DVD by horror fans looking for quality filmmaking. First Look Studios has provided Thirst on DVD; now, readers need to get to the local movie store to see little Claudia Salinger as a full bodied woman who goes that extra mile in the desert and in the acting department.

Acting/believability/consistency: 7.5 (television actor Brandon Quinn shines here, but so does Chabert, all the acting is mostly well done).
Writing/plot/story: 8 (the reality that this can actually happen intensifies the film).
Setting/photography/composition/lighting: 8.5 (beautiful landscapes, excellent long shots, natural setting).

Overall: 8 squirms out of 10.

A trailer for the film can be seen at First Look Studios:

Thirst at First Look

Available now:



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