Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to connect with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These early moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
