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For the most part, I've grown tired of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated turning out remarkably entertaining.

Superb Pacing and Personal Growth

One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the superb rhythm. It kicks off using a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering is violently interrupted by a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then followed by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward dynamic. This has understandably caused a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. This household head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely tense.

Invested in the Drama

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon feat for this style which frequently introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark comedy before making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Source

This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason for the source of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a lethal elixir which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people proves absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.

Capable Characters

More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household 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 amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the idea that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message about family or community, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining