Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents individuals only 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, so it's a genuine shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this affliction has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity 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 is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
