For the most part, 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 seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
