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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 seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, this category seems mostly depleted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.

Excellent Pacing and Character Growth

Among the film's strongest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a memorable opening sequence where a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger emerges and begins assaulting the partygoers. This intense scene is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.

Unlike many undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to get to know its main personalities prior to the chaos ensues. There's Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a falling out among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured yet socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and who seems focused on just two things: his business and his wife to Nes' ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly overlooked this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat for this style which frequently presents individuals just to kill them off shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise once events finally deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking a sudden shift toward shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Zombification Origin

The film also offers a quite interesting reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. Although some background is provided a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction has on humans is absolutely disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite convincing, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

More impressive compared to the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable decision-making (like any any good zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and sharp. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the face, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death approaches.

Realistic Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not perfect, and her family—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another seem far more genuine.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or community, as well. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and because the film allows every personality enough room to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining