For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels mostly depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Development
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting us who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting before everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie also offers a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
