For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic deviation 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 apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters express appreciation toward one another seem far more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
