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For the most part, I'm over undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early episodes from The Walking Dead were gripping, the genre seems mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust in my watchlist for months. But, Netflix's latest Southeast Asian zombie flick, The Elixir, managed to subvert what I anticipated and proved remarkably enjoyable.

Excellent Rhythm and Character Growth

Among the film's greatest assets is its superb pacing. It begins using a memorable opening sequence in which a peaceful family party gets suddenly disrupted by a vehicle plows into the guest area. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking individual emerges and begins attacking the partygoers. This intense moment is then followed by a flashback, giving viewers to observe the family prior to the disaster struck.

Unlike numerous undead movies, The Elixir actually allows the audience sufficient time to become acquainted with the primary characters before the carnage ensues. We meet Nes, a married mother with a ex best friend, Karina, is now wed to her dad—a clearly uncomfortable dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among the two women. Then there's her sibling, Bang, who is good-natured but socially awkward, and he enjoys playing video games with Nes' young son, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, seems to have recently been unfaithful to her. The family head consists of Nes' father, the owner of a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he seems focused on just two things: his work and his marriage to Nes' ex-best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is incredibly tense.

Invested in the Conflict

I became so engrossed in the household's issues along with their interpersonal drama to the point I almost overlooked this was a scary movie—which might seem like a drawback, yet ultimately worked well. The Elixir dedicates a significant amount of its runtime depicting viewers the identity of every family member represents, and how they contribute to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on clashing personalities enabled the audience to connect to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare feat in a genre that often introduces characters just to eliminate them shortly afterwards. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as two-dimensional, disposable victims for an army of zombies to consume, thus it's a real surprise when things finally go wrong.

Reminiscent of Parasite

The initial scenes of the party and the multiple household exchanges actually evoke the film Parasite, a tale that masquerades like a Korean drama with somewhat morbid comedy prior to making a sudden shift into "holy shit" ground. These introductory scenes don't focus too heavily on comedy as Parasite, yet The Elixir still provides enough time to settle into its world before it gets turned upside down.

Unique Infection Source

The film also offers a quite interesting explanation regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Instead of a unintended lab leak or a type of bioweapon, the source for this contagious disease originates in a new sample from Wani Waras natural medicines developed by Nes' father. Although some background is provided something regarding how it started, I wish the film devoted additional focus on how Wani Waras transitioned from a trusted supplier of natural treatments to creating a lethal potion which seems to contain an extremely infectious virus. Despite the limited background, the effect this affliction has on people proves absolutely disgusting, and I appreciate. The Elixir's undead prove fast, freaky-looking, and, maybe most disturbingly, constantly grinning. This represents a daring decision, yet it succeeds. The Elixir's practical effects and computer graphics also appear very convincing, and they're almost guaranteed to trigger a fear of holes.

Resourceful Personalities

Even better compared to the disgusting scenes is the cast themselves. Certainly, we see a few examples of questionable decision-making (as in typical zombie movie), however generally, Nes and her relatives show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick an undead in the head, pierce it with a pitchfork, or beat it on the skull with whatever heavy object is available instead of standing still like prey in headlights while danger nears.

Realistic Family Discord

The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord when people start turning into zombies, this proved a welcome authentic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly pardon you for everything! cliché frequently used in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes cares for her family and cares about her husband, Rudi, but it's also apparent she's still clinging to resentment over his betrayal of their marriage vows. Once the household becomes split up, they agree over the phone to meet up at a close spot. However, once Bang admits he is unaware how to get there, Nes expresses a massive level of irritation toward Bang which has obviously been brewing over time. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—with all their imperfections—seem authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the idea that a near-death experience immediately resolves family tensions. This makes the moments where these individuals do show gratitude for each other seem much more sincere.

Stereotypical Ending

Despite The Elixir's best attempts to innovate, the ending is admittedly a bit stereotypical. The Elixir isn't really offering up some profound message about family or community, either. Instead, it's mostly delivering scares. Yet these are effective scares, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for having flaws, the outcome is a captivating and enjoyable