Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this affliction has on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining
