Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough time to get to know its main characters before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film depicting viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine surprise once events eventually go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.
Realistic Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion 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 movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining
