Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party is violently disrupted when a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on people proves utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
