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For the most part, 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 at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. However, the platform's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Pacing and Character Growth

One of this movie's strongest assets is its superb pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy occurred.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about just two things: his work and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion is incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested in the family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled me to relate with the characters enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style that often presents individuals only to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a K-Drama with slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.

Unique Infection Origin

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this condition has on people is utterly disgusting, and I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Of course, we see some examples of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find rather than standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting any deep insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Instead, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're effective frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and entertaining