Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled me to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and are almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "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 films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
