For the most part, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
