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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category feels mostly exhausted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. But, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Superb Rhythm and Character Growth

One of this movie's greatest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the tragedy struck.

In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime depicting us who each family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift toward shocking territory. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Source

This movie additionally presents a quite interesting explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this affliction produces on people is absolutely repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also quite convincing, and are practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals express appreciation toward one another seem far more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining