For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know its main characters prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. This household head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed the audience to connect with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation toward one another seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
