Typically, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal 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 unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
