Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Character Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film depicting us who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to making an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These early moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition produces on people is utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
