Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking a sudden shift into shocking ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message about family or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
