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For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Personal Development

One of the film's greatest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.

Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and who enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering is incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of the film depicting viewers who each relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments aren't centered as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before it gets upended.

Original Infection Origin

This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this affliction produces on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite realistic, and they're almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Capable Characters

Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from that "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 films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other seem much more genuine.

Predictable Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining