For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of this movie's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style that often introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable
