Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Character Development
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the tragedy struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
