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Generally speaking, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While favorites such as 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly depleted at this point. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Superb Pacing and Personal Growth

One of the film's strongest strengths lies in the excellent rhythm. It begins using a memorable initial scene in which a calm family party gets suddenly disrupted by a van plows right into the guest area. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is immediately followed by a look back, allowing us to observe the family before the disaster occurred.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, has become wed to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift between Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as good-natured but a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on Nes. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion is incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so invested in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us who each relative is, plus the ways they contribute to the general turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare accomplishment for this style that often introduces characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine surprise when things finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact bring to mind the film Parasite, a story which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to taking an abrupt turn into shocking ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Original Zombification Origin

The film additionally presents a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading zombification. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time on how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this affliction has on people proves utterly disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear very convincing, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the disgusting moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of questionable choices (like any any good undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.

Believable Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died I immediately pardon you for everything! trope frequently used in apocalyptic films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to push the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This causes those instances when these characters do show appreciation for each other feel far more sincere.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be somewhat formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound insight about family or society, as well. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the film allows every personality sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable