For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed me to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking a sudden turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
