For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off using a striking initial scene where a calm family party is violently interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each relative represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into the setting before it gets upended.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on people is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
