For the most part, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
