Typically, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know its main characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity 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 an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
