For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see this household prior to the tragedy struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. This household head is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film depicting viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden turn into shocking territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious choices (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
