Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing us the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable 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 any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful scares, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
