For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
Among the film's greatest strengths is its superb rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a new sample 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 film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition has on people is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
