For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know its main personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family head is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining
