Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film depicting viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into its world prior to it gets upended.
Original Zombification Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
