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For the most part, I've had my fill of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, this category seems largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations turning out remarkably enjoyable.

Superb Rhythm and Personal Growth

One of the film's strongest strengths is its excellent rhythm. It kicks off with a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the tragedy struck.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives the audience enough opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and who enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch consists of Nes' father, who runs a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of the undead to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus as much on comedy compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Infection Origin

This movie also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause for this infectious condition stems from a new batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the effect this affliction produces on people is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead prove quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

More impressive compared to the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it over the head with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel far more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep message about family or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily serving up scares. But they're successful scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and enjoyable