Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Growth
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
