Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine shock once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie 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 contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic 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. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
