Typically, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting us the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents characters just to eliminate them 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 real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition produces on people is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
