Netflix's Startling New Zombie Film Injects Fresh Air into a Tired Style

Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.

Superb Rhythm and Personal Development

Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see this household before the tragedy occurred.

In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to relate with the characters enough to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals only to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock when things eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into the setting before everything gets upended.

Unique Zombification Origin

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition has on people proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.

Realistic Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. Yet these are successful scares, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and entertaining