Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's greatest strengths is its superb rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
