Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction has on people proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining
