Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Character Growth
One of this movie's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film depicting viewers who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
