For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Character Growth
One of this movie's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable
