Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering is violently disrupted when a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking a sudden turn into shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves 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. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building 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 a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
