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For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.

Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth

One of the film's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene where a calm family party is violently interrupted when a van crashes into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster occurred.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between the two women. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about just two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama to the point I almost forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film to showing us who each relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to consume, thus it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.

Unique Zombification Source

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the effect this affliction has on humans proves utterly repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death nears.

Realistic Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning 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! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel far more genuine.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message about family or community, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and entertaining