Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction produces on people is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
