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Typically, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Impressive Pacing and Character Development

One of the film's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle plows into the seating section. Out of the van, an extremely zombie-like individual emerges and begins assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is then followed by a look back, allowing us to see this household prior to the disaster struck.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to get to know its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. There's Nes, a married mother whose former best friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on Nes. The family patriarch is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every relative represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities sufficiently to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward shocking territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Zombification Source

The film also offers a fairly intriguing explanation for the source of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a deadly elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this affliction produces on humans proves utterly disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very realistic, and they're almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Capable Characters

Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable decision-making (like any any good undead film), but generally, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument is available instead of freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem authentic and relatable since the movie doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation for each other feel much more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. But they're successful scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable