Typically, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot this was a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each family member represents, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a real surprise when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. 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
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic 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 end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
