Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. 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 perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
