🔗 Share this article

Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth

Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.

Original Infection Source

This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition produces on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Capable Characters

Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful scares, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining