Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a van crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this affliction has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
