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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Pacing and Personal Development

One of the film's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy struck.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.

Invested in the Drama

I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime depicting us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.

Original Infection Source

The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this affliction has on humans is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.

Stereotypical Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining