For the most part, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Character Development
Among the film's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers who each relative represents, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on people is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of questionable decision-making (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. 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 building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
