For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
Among this movie's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing us who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before making a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
