For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
One of the film's greatest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before making a sudden turn into shocking territory. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining
