🔗 Share this article

Generally speaking, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Superb Pacing and Personal Development

Among the film's strongest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a van crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster struck.

Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.

Unique Infection Source

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people is utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem much more sincere.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable