Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film depicting viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden shift toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation 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 often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
