Typically, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of dubious choices (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
