Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden turn into shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
