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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, this category feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved remarkably entertaining.

Superb Pacing and Personal Growth

One of this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy occurred.

In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely tense.

Engaged in the Drama

I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers who each family member is, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.

Original Zombification Origin

This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing explanation for the source of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the effect this affliction has on humans is absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict 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 pardon you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem far more genuine.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight about family or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining