Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking a sudden shift into shocking ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
