Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch 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 holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
