Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. This household head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film depicting viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on people is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
