For the most part, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
