Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Character Growth
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main characters prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on people proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone 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 on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
