Typically, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing us the identity of every relative is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition has on people proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
