For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among the film's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining