Typically, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Growth
One of this movie's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime depicting viewers who each relative is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable 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 do show appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
