Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.
Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth
One of the film's strongest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing us who each family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events eventually go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking a sudden shift into shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into its world before it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.
Believable Familial Strike
The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.
Predictable Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable
