For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining
