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Generally speaking, I'm over zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly depleted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.

Superb Pacing and Personal Development

Among this movie's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking initial scene where a calm family party is violently disrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This intense scene is immediately followed by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household before the tragedy struck.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience sufficient time to get to know the primary characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch is her dad, the owner of a well-known herbal remedy company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Engaged in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could seem like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime to showing us who each family member represents, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed me to relate with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre that often presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions actually evoke the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with slightly dark humor before taking a sudden shift into shocking territory. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to it gets upended.

Unique Infection Origin

The film also offers a quite intriguing explanation regarding the origin of the spreading zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of biological weapon, the cause for this infectious condition originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the movie devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to creating a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of background, the impact this affliction has on humans is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and are practically certain to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Characters

More impressive than the disgusting moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some examples of questionable choices (as in any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights as death nears.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord once individuals start turning to the undead, which was a pleasantly realistic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" cliché frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her spouse, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem far more sincere.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result is a captivating and enjoyable