For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. 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 remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
One of the film's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the tragedy struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film depicting us who each relative is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.
Original Zombification Origin
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition has on people is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation 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 end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining
