Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.
Invested in the Drama
I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden shift into shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition has on people proves utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.
Resourceful Personalities
More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.
Predictable Ending
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
