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Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.

Impressive Rhythm and Character Development

Among the film's greatest strengths is its superb pacing. It begins using a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the disaster occurred.

In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a falling out among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a popular herbal remedy business called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his business and his marriage to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely tense.

Invested in the Drama

I found myself so engrossed in the household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their outcome—an uncommon feat in a genre which frequently presents individuals only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt turn into shocking territory. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Source

This movie additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very convincing, and they're practically certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better than the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying immediately resolves familial strife. This causes those instances when these characters do show gratitude toward one another feel far more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is an engaging and entertaining