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For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations turning out quite entertaining.

Superb Pacing and Personal Development

Among this movie's greatest strengths is its superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy struck.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is extremely strained.

Invested in the Drama

I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a real surprise once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn into shocking ground. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to everything gets upended.

Unique Zombification Origin

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and are almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion 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. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining