For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable
