For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting us who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful scares, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
