For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development
One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.
In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Evocative of Parasite
The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Unique Zombification Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Believable Family Strike
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable
