For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know its main personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently 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, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in its world before it gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition has on humans is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic 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 often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
