Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to relate with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction has on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer 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 welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
