Typically, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out between 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 lately been unfaithful to her. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime depicting us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
