For the most part, 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 seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to get to know its main characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
