The Elixir

Story: Nes (Mikha Tambayong) and her husband Rudi (Dimas Anggara), along with their son Raihan (Varren Arianda Calief), visit Nes's father Dimin (Donny Damara), who owns a herbal medicine company. Business has been stagnant for some time, and Dimin has summoned his children to discuss selling the company and dividing the money. Nes is very reluctant to visit her father, as he and her childhood friend Karina (Eva Celia Latjuba) have recently married and she refuses to speak to her. Furthermore, Nes intends to divorce Rudi, who recently cheated on her. The money would come at a very opportune time, allowing her to become financially independent. However, Dimin suddenly decides against selling the company because he has received a sample of a new product from his factory that has made him several years younger within a few hours. Bambang (Marthino Lio), who still lives with his father and hasn't made anything of his life, isn't exactly thrilled about this turn of events either. Out of nowhere, Dimin begins attacking his children and the household staff, though. Dimin eventually dies, but not before infecting several members of his household with his unusual illness. Soon after, almost the entire town is overrun by zombies, and the family must try to escape this hell.

Review: It would be an understatement to say that there's a slight oversaturation of zombie films and shows these days. Hardly anyone is interested in the subject anymore, and the genre is also struggling with the growing problem of a lack of innovative ways to give it a unique twist. "The Elixir" is no exception. The most irritating thing in the movie, for example, is that for quite some time, no one seems to grasp that they're being attacked by mindless zombies. This is particularly unbelievable nowadays because we've been bombarded with so many zombie movies in recent years that we'd not only recognize an undead creature from a mile away, but also immediately know that the head is the weak point to aim for. In this movie: nothing. Perhaps "The Elixir" takes place in a parallel universe where zombies have never been heard of; in that case, some of the very familiar, stupid decisions might be forgivable. But even taking that into account, the film is full of nonsense that can only make you scream in pain.

Interestingly — and this should perhaps be mentioned upfront to avoid any misunderstanding — the film gradually wins over the viewer as it progresses. This is primarily due to beautiful cinematography and a pace that steadily builds up after a slow-cooking start. Initially, we are introduced to the various characters. There's a fair amount of family drama, and a clear picture is painted of who doesn't get along with whom and why. This makes us rather impatient for the zombie transformations to finally begin, especially since one wonders whether this approach will actually make us care about the fate of the individual characters. After all, they sometimes behave so foolishly that you almost wish for them to meet their maker. But ultimately, it wasn't a bad decision. By the end, we at least care a little more about who survives. Nevertheless, the slow introduction requires a bit of patience.

Indonesia has been known for some pretty good films for a while now (you immediately think of "The Raid", of course), and Netflix recently released a well-produced action flick in the shape of "The Shadow Strays". Director Kimo Stamboel also previously worked with Timo Tjahjanto on "Headshot". When it comes to visuals, the director certainly knows his craft. The small town, with its wide fields and panoramic shots that convey a sense of vastness, perfectly showcases the location's strengths. During the day, the vibrant colors evoke a holiday feeling, while at any moment, zombies could burst from the fields. At night, the same fields take on a more oppressive atmosphere, illuminated by fireworks and flames. Even the police station has character and serves as a temporary refuge. I was particularly impressed by the special effects. No expense or effort has been spared here.

When it comes to the script, the (expected) major weaknesses become apparent. While it's somewhat acceptable to try and give the characters a bit more depth — with very limited success — it's baffling why they weren't given any brains at all. This is a classic example of the genre where the apocalypse turns out to be a hidden intelligence test, in which all participants fail miserably. Nes honks her horn to get someone's attention, but is then surprised when all the zombies in front of her suddenly start running in her direction. Or: After a group flees a zombie horde and heads to the police station, they tell the officers about their car accident instead of the damn zombie apocalypse that's currently unfolding! There are several scenes that are so idiotic and therefore unintentionally funny that you can't help but laugh. The characters even let each other run into groups of zombies, even though a simple phone call could inform the others that coming over isn't such a good idea after all, since the place is overrun with the undead. Despite all the drama between the characters, this is hardly comprehensible.

What's also irritating is that the various characters aren't really that badly acted, they're just plain stupid. Whether that makes it better or worse is up to you to decide. It's clear that no innovation is to be expected in terms of the story either, and it actually relies heavily on clichés. At least the zombies have one unique characteristic: they seem to love the rain and freeze in place during downpours. Once you've gotten through the introduction and managed to force your last remaining brain cell to take a backseat somewhere deep in the last corner of your brain, you can, surprisingly, have some fun thanks to the ever-increasing pace. Ultimately, the police station even provides decent equipment for defending yourself against the undead. The constant changes of scenery and the good direction further boost the action gaining momentum. Final verdict: If you're looking for light zombie entertainment, you can stumble across far worse than "The Elixir" on Netflix.

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