Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film depicting viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
