For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene in which a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making a sudden shift toward shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this condition produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals 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 so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining
