Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and who loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
