For the most part, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic 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 films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
