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Generally speaking, I'm over undead films. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's new Indonesian zombie flick, The Elixir, succeeded in defy what I anticipated and proved quite enjoyable.

Superb Pacing and Personal Growth

Among this movie's greatest assets lies in the superb pacing. It kicks off with a striking opening sequence where a calm family party gets suddenly interrupted by a van plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins attacking the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe the family before the tragedy struck.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with its main characters prior to the carnage ensues. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now married to Nes' father—a clearly awkward situation. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift between Nes and Karina. Then there's Nes' brother, Bang, who is good-natured yet a bit inept socially, and he enjoys gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have recently been unfaithful to Nes. This household head is her dad, the owner of a popular natural medicine business named Wani Waras, and who seems to care about only two things: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this gathering proves incredibly tense.

Engaged in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts that I nearly forgot this was a horror film—something that could sound like a negative, but in the end worked well. The Elixir spends a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers the identity of every relative is, plus the ways they add to the general dysfunction. This focus on clashing personalities enabled me to connect with the characters sufficiently to be concerned for their fate—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces characters only to eliminate them soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for a horde of the undead to consume, so it's a real surprise once events finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The opening scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy before taking an abrupt shift toward "holy shit" territory. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still gives sufficient time to settle into its world prior to it gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Origin

This movie also offers a fairly intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or a type of biological weapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample of Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, it would have been better if the film devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to producing a deadly potion that appears to include a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the lack of context, the impact this condition has on people proves utterly disgusting, which I love it. The Elixir's zombies are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI also appear quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke one's trypophobia.

Capable Personalities

More impressive than the gross-out moments are the characters themselves. Certainly, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her family are resourceful and quick-thinking. Additionally, they don't hesitate to strike an undead in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available rather than standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus 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 often seen in end-of-world movies. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and cares about her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she's still holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household gets separated, they decide via telephone to regroup at a nearby spot. However, once Bang reveals he doesn't know the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang that's clearly been building for years. Nes is not flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and understandable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes the moments where these individuals express appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.

Predictable Ending

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly a bit formulaic. The Elixir isn't really presenting some profound insight regarding relatives or community, either. Instead, it's primarily serving up frights. Yet these are effective frights, and because the movie allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable