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Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.

Excellent Pacing and Personal Development

Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy struck.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient time to get to know its main personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly strained.

Invested in the Drama

I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable portion of the film to showing us who each relative is, and how they contribute to the general turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking an abrupt turn into "holy shit" territory. These early scenes aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in the setting before it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Origin

This movie also offers a quite interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal potion which seems to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Capable Personalities

More impressive than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.

Believable Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel far more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves an engaging and entertaining