Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims 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 of the party and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "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 apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
