For the most part, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the disaster struck.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to settle into its world before it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this affliction produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "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 relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
