Typically, I've grown tired of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's greatest assets is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers who each family member is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, 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 over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
