Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Growth
One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to get to know its main characters before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable choices (as in typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid 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 standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals 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 often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
