For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (as in any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
