For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden turn into shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on people proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
