Typically, I'm over zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering is violently disrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing us who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction produces on humans is utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable
