For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene where a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably led to a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting us who each relative is, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
The film 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 for this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems 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 undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
