Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film depicting viewers who each relative is, and how they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition has on humans is utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
