Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift into shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining
