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Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted at this point. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Character Growth

Among this movie's greatest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household prior to the tragedy struck.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Drama

I became so invested with this household's issues and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film to showing viewers who each relative is, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Source

The film additionally presents a fairly interesting reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source for this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film devoted a little more focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome authentic 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 apocalyptic films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters express appreciation for each other seem much more sincere.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful frights, and since the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable