Typically, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on people is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
