The streaming giant's Surprising New Zombie Flick Injects New Life into a Overused Category

Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Pacing and Character Development

One of the film's strongest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the disaster struck.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Drama

I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film to showing us who each relative represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to settle into its world before everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Origin

This movie also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition produces on people is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Capable Personalities

More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining