Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Excellent Rhythm and Character Development
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting us who each relative is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking a sudden turn into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
