Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on humans is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
