Typically, I'm over undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
