Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers who each relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to connect with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
This movie also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Characters
Even better compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and entertaining
