The streaming giant's Unexpected Latest Zombie Film Injects Fresh Air into a Overused Genre

Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development

Among the film's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family before the tragedy occurred.

In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has understandably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.

Invested in the Drama

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us who each relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt shift toward shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Source

The film also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition produces on humans proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.

Realistic Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation for each other seem far more genuine.

Stereotypical Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable