For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in its world before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed 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 reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition has on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
