Typically, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted by a van plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime depicting us the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition has on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive 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 realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
