Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. 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 he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before making a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
