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Generally speaking, I've had my fill of apocalyptic horror. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre feels largely exhausted at this point. Yet the highly anticipated 28 Years Later remains gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert my expectations turning out remarkably entertaining.

Impressive Rhythm and Character Development

One of this movie's strongest strengths lies in the excellent pacing. It begins with a memorable opening sequence in which a calm family gathering gets suddenly disrupted when a vehicle plows into the seating section. From the wreckage, an extremely undead-looking stranger stumbles out proceeding assaulting the attendees. This intense scene is immediately succeeded by a flashback, allowing us to see the family before the tragedy struck.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir truly allows viewers enough time to get to know its main characters before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex close friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable situation. Naturally, this has predictably caused a rift among Nes and Karina. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys gaming with his nephew, Raihan. Her spouse, Rudi, seems to have recently cheated on her. The family head consists of her dad, who runs a well-known natural medicine company named Wani Waras, and who seems focused on only two aspects: his business and his marriage to his daughter's ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely strained.

Invested in the Drama

I found myself so invested with this household's issues along with their personal conflicts to the point I nearly forgot this was a scary movie—which might seem like a negative, yet in the end worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant portion of the film to showing viewers the identity of every family member is, plus the ways they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits enabled me to connect with the characters enough to care about their fate—an uncommon feat in a genre that often introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir doesn't treat its characters as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, thus it's a real surprise once events eventually deteriorate.

Evocative of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and various family interactions actually evoke the movie Parasite, a tale which disguises itself as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark humor prior to making an abrupt shift into "holy shit" ground. These early scenes aren't centered too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir nonetheless provides sufficient time to settle into the setting prior to everything gets upended.

Original Zombification Origin

This movie additionally presents a fairly intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental laboratory incident or a type of bioweapon, the source of this contagious disease originates in a recent batch from Wani Waras herbal remedies created by Nes' father. While some background is provided something regarding its origins, I wish the film devoted a little more time explaining how Wani Waras went from a trusted supplier of holistic medicine to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious virus. Despite the limited background, the impact this affliction produces on humans is absolutely repulsive, which I appreciate. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring choice, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics are also very realistic, and are practically guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Capable Personalities

Even better than the gross-out moments is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), however for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves resourceful and quick-thinking. They also don't hesitate to kick a zombie in the face, stab it using a farm tool, or beat it over the head with whatever heavy object they find instead of standing still like prey caught in lights while danger approaches.

Believable Family Strike

The Elixir doesn't abandon its themes on family conflict once individuals begin transforming to the undead, which was a welcome realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died I immediately forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her relatives and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally apparent she's still clinging to bitterness over his betrayal of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree via telephone to meet up at a close spot. But when Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes unleashes an immense amount of frustration on her brother which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes isn't flawless, and her family—with all their imperfections—feel realistic and relatable because the film doesn't try to promote the notion that nearly dying instantly cures family tensions. This makes those instances where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.

Predictable Conclusion

In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to break new ground, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or society, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up frights. But they're effective scares, and since the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and doesn't punish them for their imperfections, the outcome is a captivating and entertaining