Typically, I've had my fill of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems largely depleted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Character Development
One of this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative represents, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this affliction has on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
