For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Development
One of the film's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Unique Zombification Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on people proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable
