Typically, I've had my fill of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition produces on people proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
