Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Character Development
One of this movie's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition has on people proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "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 end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
