Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn into shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
