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For the most part, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre seems largely depleted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Impressive Rhythm and Personal Development

Among the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like 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.

In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, has become wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears focused on only two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Drama

I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat for this style that often presents characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a genuine surprise once events finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden shift into shocking territory. These early moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to immerse in its world before it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Source

This movie additionally presents a fairly interesting explanation for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch from Wani Waras natural medicines created by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the movie devoted additional time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to include a highly contagious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the impact this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Capable Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like prey caught in lights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. Yet these are successful scares, and because the movie allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable