Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to making a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective 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
