Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted when a van plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Characters
Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of dubious choices (as in typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're effective scares, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining
