For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
