For the most part, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
Among the film's greatest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough time to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world before everything gets upended.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type 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 its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of background, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining
