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For the most part, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels largely exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. However, the platform's latest Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.

Excellent Pacing and Personal Growth

Among the film's greatest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger emerges proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then followed by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy struck.

In contrast to numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives the audience enough time to get to know its main characters before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a wife and mother whose former close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a rift among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming alongside his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two things: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely strained.

Engaged in the Conflict

I found myself so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall turmoil. This focus on conflicting traits enabled the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre which frequently introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a genuine surprise once events eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades like a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before making a sudden turn toward shocking ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to immerse in its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Zombification Origin

The film additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a new batch of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie devoted a little more focus on how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a deadly potion which seems to include an extremely infectious virus. Regardless of the limited background, the effect this condition has on humans proves utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI are also very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.

Capable Personalities

Even better compared to the gross-out scenes is the cast themselves. Of course, we see a few instances of questionable choices (as in typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't drop its themes of familial discord when people start turning to the undead, which was a welcome realistic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang reveals he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration toward Bang that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the notion that nearly dying instantly cures familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters do show appreciation toward one another feel much more sincere.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, as well. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable