Typically, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat for this style which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this affliction has on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
