Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family 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 hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining