Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
