For the most part, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Character Development
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main characters before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
