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For the most part, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.

Excellent Pacing and Character Growth

One of the film's greatest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently interrupted when a vehicle plows into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their interpersonal drama that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world before everything gets upended.

Original Infection Origin

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans is utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object is available instead of freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Realistic Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation 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 movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. 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 brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending must be said to be somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are successful scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable