For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family head is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often introduces 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 consume, so it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
