Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, 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 convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
