For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Character Development
One of the film's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on just two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime depicting us who each family member is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
