Typically, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category seems largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he 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 natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to immerse in its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however 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 hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable
