Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
One of this movie's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on humans is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
