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For the most part, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.

Impressive Pacing and Personal Growth

Among the film's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted when a van 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, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster struck.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting before it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Origin

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), but generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel far more genuine.

Stereotypical Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable