For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know its main characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime depicting us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden shift into shocking ground. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
