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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite enjoyable.

Superb Rhythm and Character Development

Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent rhythm. It kicks off using a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household before the tragedy struck.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us who each family member is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor before taking a sudden turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient time to immerse in the setting before it gets turned upside down.

Original Zombification Origin

This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin 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 recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some instances of dubious choices (as in typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals express appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable