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Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's new Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Rhythm and Personal Growth

One of this movie's greatest strengths is its excellent pacing. It begins using a striking opening sequence where a calm family gathering gets suddenly interrupted when a van plows into the seating section. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the disaster occurred.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough time to get to know its main personalities before the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable situation. This has understandably led to a rift among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I almost forgot I was watching a horror film—which might seem like a negative, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of the film to showing viewers who each family member represents, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, thus it's a real shock once events eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world before it gets upended.

Unique Zombification Source

The film also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease stems from a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about how it started, I wish the film had spent a little more time explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of natural treatments to producing a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition has on people is utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the face, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object they find rather than standing still like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, this proved a pleasantly realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! cliché often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the outcome proves a captivating and enjoyable