For the most part, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden turn into shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition produces on people proves utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
