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 gripping, the genre feels largely depleted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
This movie also offers a fairly interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective frights, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
