Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Development
Among this movie's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting us who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
More impressive than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
