Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing us who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
