Typically, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing us who each relative is, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
