Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this affliction produces on humans is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
