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Typically, I've grown tired of apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, the platform's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Excellent Pacing and Personal Development

One of this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a memorable opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family before the disaster occurred.

In contrast to many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former best friend, Karina, has become married to Nes' father—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a falling out between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on Nes. The family head is her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine business called Wani Waras, and who seems to care about just two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves incredibly tense.

Engaged in the Drama

I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their interpersonal drama that I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a drawback, yet ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits enabled me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a real surprise when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with slightly dark humor prior to taking a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to settle into the setting prior to it gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Source

This movie also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease originates in a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn something regarding how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this condition has on humans is utterly repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring choice, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and they're practically certain to trigger one's trypophobia.

Capable Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, there are a few examples of dubious decision-making (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are inventive and quick-thinking. They also aren't afraid to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available instead of standing still like a deer in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't drop its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately forgive you for everything! cliché often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes loves her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been building over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals express appreciation toward one another seem far more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly presenting some profound message about family or community, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. But they're successful scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining