For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch 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 his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting us the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed me to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition produces on humans is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate 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 standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
