The streaming giant's Surprising New Undead Movie Breathes Fresh Air into a Tired Genre

Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations turning out quite entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Character Growth

Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the tragedy struck.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives the audience sufficient opportunity to get to know the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother whose ex best friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and who appears focused on only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—which might sound like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre which frequently presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered too heavily on humor as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting before it gets upended.

Original Infection Source

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines created by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on people is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear quite convincing, and they're practically guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

More impressive compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but generally, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike a zombie in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like a deer caught in lights as death nears.

Realistic Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her spouse, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound message regarding relatives or community, either. Rather, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective frights, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining