Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
