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For the most part, I'm over apocalyptic horror. Although classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead proved gripping, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Even the highly anticipated 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Indonesian horror film, The Elixir, managed to defy my expectations and proved quite entertaining.

Impressive Pacing and Character Development

Among this movie's strongest assets is its excellent rhythm. It begins with a memorable initial scene where a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted when a van crashes into the guest area. Out of the van, a very zombie-like individual stumbles out proceeding attacking the attendees. This dramatic scene is immediately followed by a flashback, allowing us to observe this household prior to the tragedy occurred.

In contrast to numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually gives viewers sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary personalities before the chaos ensues. We meet Nes, a wife and mother with a former close friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. This has predictably led to a rift among Nes and Karina. We also see her sibling, Bang, described as kind-hearted yet a bit inept socially, and he loves playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. This household patriarch consists of her dad, who runs a well-known herbal remedy business named Wani Waras, and he seems focused on only two things: his business and his wife to his daughter's former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this family reunion proves incredibly strained.

Invested in the Drama

I found myself so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet in the end paid off. The Elixir spends a considerable portion of the film depicting us the identity of every family member represents, and how they add to the general turmoil. This focus on clashing traits enabled me to connect to the personalities enough to care about their fate—a rare feat for this style that often presents characters just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for an army of the undead to consume, so it's a real shock when things eventually go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial sequences from the gathering and various family interactions actually bring to mind the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a Korean drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to taking an abrupt turn toward "holy shit" ground. These introductory moments don't focus too heavily on humor compared to Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless gives sufficient opportunity to immerse in the setting prior to everything gets upended.

Unique Zombification Origin

The film also offers a fairly interesting reason regarding the origin of the contagious transformation. Instead of a unintended laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the cause of this infectious condition stems from a recent sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by her dad. Although we do learn something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted additional time on how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion that appears to include an extremely infectious pathogen. Regardless of the lack of context, the impact this condition produces on people is utterly repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, bizarre in appearance, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear very realistic, and they're almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.

Resourceful Characters

More impressive compared to the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Of course, there are some instances of dubious choices (like any typical undead film), however for the most part, Nes and her family are inventive and sharp. They also don't hesitate to strike a zombie in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with whatever heavy object they find rather than freezing like prey in headlights while danger approaches.

Believable Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes of familial discord when people begin transforming to the undead, this proved a welcome authentic subversion from that "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in end-of-world films. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and values her spouse, Rudi, but it's also clear she remains holding onto bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to regroup at a close location. But when Bang reveals 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 perfect, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and understandable because the film avoids attempting to push the notion that a near-death experience immediately resolves familial strife. This makes those instances when these characters express gratitude for each other seem much more genuine.

Stereotypical Ending

In spite of The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the conclusion must be said to be a bit stereotypical. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep message regarding relatives or society, as well. Rather, it's primarily delivering scares. But they're successful frights, and because the film gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable