Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting viewers who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
