Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each relative is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making an abrupt shift into shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on people is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was 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 family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight about family or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
