For the most part, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing us who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor before making a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough opportunity to immerse in its world before everything gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the effect this affliction produces on people proves absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
