For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off using a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough time to get to know the primary characters before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking a sudden turn into shocking ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "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, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
