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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth

One of the film's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy occurred.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. This household head consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely tense.

Engaged in the Drama

I became so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us who each relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style that often presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt shift into shocking territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into its world before it gets turned upside down.

Original Infection Source

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining