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Typically, I'm over apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. However, Netflix's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated turning out quite enjoyable.

Excellent Pacing and Character Development

One of the film's greatest assets is its excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable initial scene in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly interrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. Out of the van, a very undead-looking individual emerges proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see this household before the tragedy occurred.

Unlike numerous zombie films, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with its main personalities before the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to Nes' father—an obviously awkward situation. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and who loves playing video games with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to Nes. This household head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who appears to care about only two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves extremely tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly overlooked this was a scary movie—something that could sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting traits allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to be concerned for their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of the undead to consume, thus it's a genuine shock once events eventually deteriorate.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions in fact bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama with slightly dark humor before making an abrupt turn into "holy shit" ground. These early moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into its world prior to everything gets turned upside down.

Unique Zombification Source

This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of biological weapon, the source of this infectious condition stems from a new sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the film had spent additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to producing a deadly elixir that appears to include an extremely infectious virus. Despite the lack of context, the effect this affliction produces on people proves absolutely repulsive, which I love it. The Elixir's undead are quick, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are almost guaranteed to trigger one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of questionable choices (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of freezing like prey in headlights as death nears.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome authentic deviation from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal in their relationship. Once the household gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses an immense amount of frustration toward Bang which has obviously been building over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and relatable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes those instances where these individuals do show appreciation for each other seem far more sincere.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the ending is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message regarding relatives or society, either. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character enough room to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves an engaging and entertaining