For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category seems largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main characters prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
