Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting us who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable choices (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
