Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction produces on people is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. 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 heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
