Typically, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare feat for this style that often introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable choices (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea 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 Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
