For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime depicting us who each family member represents, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough time to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
