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For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre feels mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Character Growth

Among this movie's strongest assets is its superb rhythm. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but socially awkward, and who enjoys gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film to showing us the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes from the gathering and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to making a sudden turn into shocking ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to it gets upended.

Original Infection Origin

This movie also offers a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are almost certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (like any any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find instead of freezing like prey caught in lights while danger nears.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a pleasantly authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable