Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking a sudden shift toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when 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 for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
