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Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth

Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently interrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably caused a rift between the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household head is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film depicting viewers who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often presents characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Infection Origin

The film additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical 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 scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of dubious choices (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like a deer in headlights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly authentic 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 end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable