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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of undead films. Although favorites such as 28 Days Later along with the initial seasons of The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for some time. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy what I anticipated and proved remarkably entertaining.

Superb Pacing and Character Development

One of the film's strongest assets lies in the excellent pacing. It begins using a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party is violently disrupted by a vehicle crashes right into the guest area. From the wreckage, an extremely zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is immediately succeeded by a look back, giving viewers to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.

Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir actually gives viewers enough opportunity to become acquainted with the primary personalities prior to the chaos begins. We meet Nes, a married mother whose ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. This has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted yet socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately cheated on her. The family head consists of Nes' father, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two things: his work and his wife to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed in the family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost forgot this was a horror film—which might sound like a negative, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of its runtime to showing us the identity of every family member is, and how they contribute to the general dysfunction. This focus on conflicting personalities allowed the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—an uncommon accomplishment for this style which frequently presents individuals just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, disposable victims for an army of zombies to devour, so it's a genuine shock when things finally go wrong.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial sequences from the gathering and the multiple family interactions in fact evoke the film Parasite, a story that masquerades like a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments aren't centered as much on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless gives enough opportunity to settle into its world prior to it gets upended.

Original Infection Origin

The film additionally presents a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Rather than a unintended laboratory incident or some sort of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although we do learn a bit about its origins, I wish the film devoted additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of natural treatments to creating a lethal elixir that appears to contain a highly contagious virus. Regardless of the lack of context, the effect this condition produces on people is absolutely disgusting, which I appreciate. The Elixir's zombies are quick, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a bold choice, but it works. The Elixir's physical effects and CGI are also quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

Even better than the disgusting scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few examples of questionable choices (as in any good undead film), but for the most part, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick an undead in the face, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger approaches.

Believable Familial Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but you almost died so I instantly forgive you for all your mistakes!" trope often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family becomes split up, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been building for years. Nes is not perfect, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—feel authentic and understandable since the movie doesn't try to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments when these characters express appreciation toward one another feel much more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the ending is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really presenting any deep insight about family or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and since the film allows every personality enough room to develop and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result is an engaging and enjoyable