For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in its world before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
