Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
Among this movie's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing us who each relative is, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
