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For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Impressive Pacing and Character Development

One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know its main characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.

Engaged in the Drama

I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting viewers who each family member represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect with the characters enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.

Original Zombification Source

The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this condition produces on humans is utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like a deer in headlights while danger approaches.

Realistic Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a pleasantly authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other feel much more genuine.

Stereotypical Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message about family or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is a captivating and enjoyable