For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting us the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These early moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this affliction produces on people proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab 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 caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
