Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist 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 Character Development
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making a sudden shift into shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic 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 films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
