For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
Among this movie's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a van crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. 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 is an engaging and entertaining
