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Typically, 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 much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth

Among the film's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.

In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a falling out among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.

Unique Infection Source

The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans is utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any typical undead film), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances when these characters do show appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight about family or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable