Typically, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
