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Typically, I've had my fill of zombie movies. Although classics like 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead proved enjoyable, this category seems largely depleted at this point. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains sitting in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.

Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth

Among the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding assaulting the partygoers. This dramatic scene is immediately succeeded by a look back, allowing us to see the family before the disaster occurred.

In contrast to many undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage begins. There's Nes, a wife and mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see Nes' brother, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and who loves gaming alongside Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have lately cheated on Nes. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a popular natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems to care about only two aspects: his work and his marriage to his daughter's former best friend. Needless to say, this family reunion proves extremely tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed with this family's dynamics along with their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of the film to showing viewers the identity of every relative represents, plus the ways they add to the overall turmoil. This focus on clashing traits allowed me to relate to the personalities sufficiently to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre which frequently introduces individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its characters as two-dimensional, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial sequences of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a story which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring somewhat morbid humor before taking an abrupt turn toward shocking ground. These early scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy compared to Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.

Unique Zombification Source

This movie also offers a quite intriguing reason for the source of the spreading transformation. Instead of an accidental laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the cause of this contagious disease stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by her dad. While we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras went from a reputable supplier of natural treatments to producing a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the limited context, the effect this condition has on people is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, always smiling. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and are almost guaranteed to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

More impressive than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are some instances of questionable decision-making (like any typical zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her relatives are resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the head, pierce it using a farm tool, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available rather than freezing like prey caught in lights as death nears.

Realistic Familial Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly pardon you for all your mistakes!" trope frequently used in end-of-world films. It's clear, Nes cares for her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she remains clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to meet up at a nearby spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes a massive amount of frustration on her brother that's clearly been building for years. Nes isn't perfect, and her family—with all their imperfections—seem realistic and understandable since the movie avoids attempting to promote the idea that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals express gratitude toward one another seem much more genuine.

Predictable Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to break new ground, the conclusion must be said to be a bit formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up some profound insight regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering frights. Yet these are successful frights, and since the film gives each character enough room to develop and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is an engaging and enjoyable