For the most part, I'm over undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden shift into shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from that "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 cares for her family and values 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 decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
