Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy before making a sudden turn into shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic 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 frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
