Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels mostly depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
