Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.
Superb Pacing and Personal Development
One of this movie's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Engaged in the Drama
I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat for this style that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Origin
The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious choices (as in any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.
Believable Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining
