For the most part, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Character Growth
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film to showing viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Source
The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on people proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic 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 frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining
