For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Character Development
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
This movie also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
