Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on people proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
