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Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.

Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development

Among this movie's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the disaster struck.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Drama

I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, so it's a genuine surprise once events eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Zombification Source

This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans is utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Characters

Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable