For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It kicks off using a striking initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know its main characters prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, 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 serving up scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
