Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
