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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.

Superb Rhythm and Character Development

Among this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare feat for this style that often presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before it gets upended.

Original Zombification Origin

The film also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition has on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and are practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious choices (as in any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people 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 I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable