Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting us the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine shock when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
