Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative is, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
