Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before making a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
