Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie 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 prey in headlights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
