Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.
Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth
Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.
Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Drama
I found myself so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film depicting us the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift toward shocking ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.
Original Infection Origin
The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.
Capable Characters
Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.
Realistic Family Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show gratitude for each other feel far more sincere.
Stereotypical Conclusion
In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight about family or society, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining
