Typically, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's greatest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to see this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each family member represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden shift into shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
