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Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.

Superb Pacing and Character Growth

Among this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the guest area. Out of the van, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the disaster occurred.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities prior to the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose former close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. This has understandably caused a rift between the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as good-natured yet socially awkward, and he loves playing video games alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household head is her dad, who runs a popular herbal remedy company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is extremely strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked I was watching a scary movie—something that could seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every family member represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine surprise once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with somewhat morbid humor prior to making a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives enough time to immerse in the setting before everything gets upended.

Original Infection Source

The film additionally presents a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent batch of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition produces on humans is absolutely disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This is a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights as death nears.

Realistic Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and cares about her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another seem much more sincere.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome proves a captivating and entertaining