Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another seem far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
