Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in its world before it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction has on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly 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 family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent 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 nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
