Typically, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the effect this affliction produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
