Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic scene is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
