For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
