Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know its main characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on people proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
