Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
