🔗 Share this article

For the most part, I'm over undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth

Among this movie's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to making a sudden turn toward shocking territory. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to it gets upended.

Original Infection Source

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion that appears to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

Even better than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable