Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has understandably caused a falling out between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting us who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to settle into the setting before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
