Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army 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 evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. 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 scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
