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 proved gripping, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden shift toward shocking ground. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
