For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Character Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition produces on people proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic subversion 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 movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
