Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Excellent Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy struck.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to get to know its main personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to making an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are 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 the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining