Typically, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style that often introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden shift into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), however generally, 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 on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
