For the most part, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.
Excellent Pacing and Character Development
Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party is violently disrupted by a van plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster occurred.
In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a rift between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.
Engaged in the Conflict
I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The opening scenes from the gathering and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before making an abrupt shift toward shocking ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.
Unique Infection Origin
This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem much more sincere.
Predictable Conclusion
Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining
