For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Growth
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective 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 enjoyable
