Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the tragedy struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on people proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
