🔗 Share this article

Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.

Superb Rhythm and Character Growth

Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a van plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.

In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir actually allows viewers enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, and how they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to connect with the characters enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat for this style that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy before taking a sudden turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives enough time to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.

Original Infection Source

This movie also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some instances of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation for each other feel much more sincere.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining