Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this affliction has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion 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 end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're effective frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
