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Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably enjoyable.

Impressive Pacing and Personal Development

One of the film's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see this household prior to the tragedy occurred.

Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Drama

I became so engrossed in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Zombification Origin

The film also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of questionable choices (like any any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.

Realistic Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and entertaining