Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
Among the film's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting us who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
