Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently disrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some instances of dubious choices (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
