Typically, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
One of the film's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly strained.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.
Unique Zombification Source
The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are successful frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
