Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before making a sudden shift toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
