Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family head is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film also offers a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
