Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Character Development
One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to get to know its main characters before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting us the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction has on humans is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like a deer in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
