Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a striking initial scene where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world before it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious choices (as in any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable
