Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on people is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel far 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 offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
