For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to settle into its world before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
