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Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development

Among the film's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It begins using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see this household prior to the disaster struck.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film to showing us who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock once events finally deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden shift toward shocking territory. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Zombification Origin

This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people proves utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

More impressive than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Realistic Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic 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 frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another feel much more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep message about family or society, as well. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining