For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 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 some time. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this affliction has on people is utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining
