Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Development
One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy before making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and entertaining
