Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
Among the film's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film depicting us who each relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden turn into shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
