Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before making an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters express appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
