Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
