Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre that often introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction has on humans is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message about family or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable
