Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting us who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently introduces individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims 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 various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on people proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
