Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a van plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see this household before the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled me to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, 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 creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable
