Typically, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family patriarch is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this affliction has on people proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
