Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a calm family party is violently interrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare feat for this style that often presents individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to making a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
