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For the most part, I'm over undead films. While favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category feels largely exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been sitting on my to-watch queue for some time. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite enjoyable.

Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth

Among this movie's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a striking initial scene in which a peaceful family party is violently interrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This dramatic scene is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see this household prior to the disaster occurred.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with its main characters before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former close friend, Karina, has become married to her dad—an obviously awkward situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among the two women. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he loves gaming with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. This household head is Nes' father, the owner of a popular natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and he appears to care about just two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering proves extremely tense.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so invested with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but in the end paid off. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of its runtime depicting us who each relative is, and how they add to the overall turmoil. This emphasis on clashing personalities allowed the audience to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment for this style which frequently introduces characters only to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to consume, so it's a real shock when things finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening sequences of the party and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before making a sudden turn toward "holy shit" territory. These early moments don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir still provides enough opportunity to settle into its world before it gets turned upside down.

Unique Zombification Source

This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental lab leak or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While some background is provided a bit about how it started, I wish the movie had spent additional time explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious virus. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on people is utterly repulsive, and I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a bold decision, yet it works. The Elixir's practical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are practically certain to provoke one's trypophobia.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see some instances of questionable choices (like any typical zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and sharp. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.

Realistic Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people begin transforming into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic 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 often seen in apocalyptic movies. It's clear, Nes loves her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity in their relationship. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a nearby location. But when Bang reveals he is unaware the way to the location, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation on her brother that's clearly been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and relatable because the film avoids attempting to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments when these characters do show gratitude toward one another seem far more genuine.

Stereotypical Conclusion

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up any deep message about family or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering frights. But they're effective frights, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to develop and doesn't punish them for having flaws, the result is an engaging and enjoyable