Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest assets lies in the superb pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former 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 Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
