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Generally speaking, I've grown tired of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Character Growth

One of the film's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It begins with a striking opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.

In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly awkward situation. This has predictably caused a falling out between the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his business and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested in the household's issues and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might seem like a drawback, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film depicting viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style that often presents characters just to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden turn into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough time to immerse in its world before it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Source

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. While some background is provided a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this condition has on humans proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Capable Characters

More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of questionable choices (like any any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem far more sincere.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining