Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a calm family party is violently interrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting viewers who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden shift into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition has on people is utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby 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 building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining