Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style that often introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this affliction has on people proves utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
