Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each family member is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
