For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
Among this movie's strongest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift toward shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
