For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see this household prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime depicting us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
