Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a calm family party is violently disrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual emerges and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime depicting us who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to making a sudden shift into shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
