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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Excellent Rhythm and Character Development

Among this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household before the disaster struck.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, the owner of a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two things: his work and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves extremely tense.

Engaged in the Conflict

I found myself so invested in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party 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 an abrupt shift into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.

Original Zombification Source

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly potion which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are quick, 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 they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

More impressive compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, which was a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel far more genuine.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable