Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.
Invested in the Drama
I became so invested in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Source
The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.
Believable Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining
