Typically, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
One of this movie's greatest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this affliction has on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
