For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering is violently disrupted when a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction 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 is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
