Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
