Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing us who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable choices (as in typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable 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 that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
