For the most part, I'm over zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking initial scene in which a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.
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 with somewhat morbid comedy prior to making a sudden turn into shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Source
This movie also offers a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
