Typically, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably 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 loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before making a sudden turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some instances of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic 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 often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
