Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden shift into shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
