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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.

Impressive Pacing and Character Development

Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes right into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster struck.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked this was a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat for this style that often introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.

Original Zombification Source

This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're effective frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable