For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Character Development
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting us who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled me to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in its world before it gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
