Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, 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 become acquainted with the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
