Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
