The streaming giant's Surprising New Undead Film Breathes Fresh Air into a Tired Genre

Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.

Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth

Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a memorable initial scene in which a calm family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient time to get to know its main characters before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has understandably caused a rift 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. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Origin

This movie also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a new sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this condition produces on people is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

More impressive compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another seem much more genuine.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're effective scares, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and enjoyable