Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
