Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward shocking ground. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
