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Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet 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, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.

Superb Pacing and Personal Growth

One of this movie's strongest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster struck.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and who loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household patriarch is Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is extremely strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed in the household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real surprise when things finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a Korean drama with slightly dark comedy before making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Infection Origin

This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the lack of background, the impact this affliction has on people is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death nears.

Believable Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel far more genuine.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable