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For the most part, I've had my fill of zombie movies. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting in my watchlist for months. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Superb Pacing and Character Growth

One of this movie's greatest assets lies in the superb rhythm. It begins with a striking initial scene where a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual emerges and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family prior to the disaster occurred.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters prior to the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously uncomfortable dynamic. This has understandably led to a falling out between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have recently cheated on her. The family patriarch consists of her dad, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two aspects: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this household's issues and their personal conflicts to the point I almost forgot this was a horror film—something that could seem like a negative, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a significant amount of the film depicting us the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on conflicting personalities enabled me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment in a genre which frequently presents characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to devour, thus it's a genuine shock when things eventually go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and various household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy prior to taking an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives enough time to settle into the setting prior to it gets upended.

Unique Infection Origin

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a new batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious pathogen. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction has on people proves utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Of course, we see some examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), but generally, 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 hit it over the head with whatever blunt instrument is available rather than freezing like a deer caught in lights while danger approaches.

Realistic Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide over the phone to regroup at a nearby location. However, once Bang admits he doesn't know how to get there, Nes expresses a massive amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience instantly cures familial strife. This causes the moments where these individuals do show appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.

Predictable Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep insight regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's mostly delivering frights. Yet these are successful scares, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and entertaining