Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted when a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a new 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 had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction has on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
