Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering is violently disrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly potion which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this affliction has on people proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
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 since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining