Typically, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
The film also offers a quite interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
