For the most part, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before making an abrupt shift toward shocking ground. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction has on people proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
