For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt shift into shocking ground. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes 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 everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
