For the most part, I'm over undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Character Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of background, the effect this affliction has on people is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
