Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film'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 right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift toward shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets upended.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the film devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition produces on people is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of dubious choices (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
