review of Netflix zombies with The Substance sauce

DEATH FITS HIM SO WELL

Former collaborator of Timo Tjahanto with whom he notably carried out the release HeadshotKimo Stamboel is a leading figure in Indonesian horror cinema. Whether with Macabre or Queen of Black Magicthe filmmaker has an obvious talent for bloody stories. It’s hard not to start with high expectations when launching The Elixirhis first excursion into the zombie film. Especially since the Netflix project was sold on a simple but terribly promising concept : a cosmetic product claiming to offer eternal youth triggers a veritable apocalypse.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take more than a few minutes before realizing that we are facing a much less inspired Kimo Stamboel than usual. The staging is academic, the frames are flat and struggle to give the slightest dimension to the story. Without forgetting sanitized television-film lighting which does not help to raise the level. In the end, without being ashamed, The Elixir is clearly not a technical success which would offer a renewal in a genre as marked as the zombie film.

Casting-wise, nothing too flamboyant either. We will remember Eva Celia who brings a more measured performance and whose charisma is enough to make sparks fly. But it’s difficult to blame the other actors as the writing of the characters is one-dimensional. The narrative arcs are hackneyed and struggle to create credible issues. Between the two estranged friends who are going to reconcile in order to survive, the child with foolproof narrative immunity and the geeky uncle putting his video game knowledge to good use against zombies, everything feels warmed up.

The biggest plot pitfall probably remains the film’s unfortunate tendency to rely on the stupidity of its characters to reignite the suspense. It’s an eternal horror cliché to which we turn a blind eye to a certain extent but it’s difficult not to be dismayed when the heroes spend the entire film leaving their shelters and putting yourself in unnecessary danger. The result is a film that is much more frustrating than stressful.

WHEN THE TRIPAILLE GOES, EVERYTHING GOES

One of the main promises of The Elixir was to offer a brutal and gory feature film, faithful to the style of Kimo Stamboel. On this side, the contract is largely fulfilled. You should certainly not expect the extreme and die-hard violence of The Sadness, however, the film proves generous in hemoglobin and explosive sequences. We will remember some really effective ideas, like the trunk zombie that crawls at crazy speed.

While there is plenty to criticize in its uneven pace and sluggish plot, The Elixir still manages to offer a few moments of bravery which remind us of what Kimo Stamboel is capable of. Among the most notable moments, an attack on a police station serves as a reminder Assault by John Carpenter in its tension and raw violence. Not forgetting an overwhelming sequence of crowd movement in the middle of the night which is enough to give agoraphobics nightmares.

Without ever revolutionizing the genre, the characterization of zombies is effective. The sound work adds to the repulsive aspect and the creatures have a filthy and obsessive aspect managing to create fearsome monsters. It’s been a long time since the fast zombie took hold in pop culture. However, the film treats this speed with a certain panache by banking on pack attacks that seem impossible to contain.

Let us also salute the radicality of the story. Failing to offer consistent emotional issues that could involve the viewer, Kimo Stamboel never hesitates to surprise us by sacrificing his characters in a brutal way. Netflix obliges, The Elixir gives us a glimpse of the possibilities for larger plots and possible sequels during its very last sequence, but its overall conclusion remains resolutely pessimistic and dark.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Far from the eternal adulterated vaccines and other viruses that zombie films have accustomed us to for decades, The Elixir started with a really promising concept. The idea of ​​triggering the apocalypse because of an elixir of youth promising eternal youth was frankly brilliant. From there to say that we began to dream of a The Substance with zombies, there’s only one step. But now, Kimo Stamboel seems it is not even realizing the potential of his crazy concept.

If you were hoping for a nasty, scathing satire on cosmetics, move on. The eternal quest for youth and the dream of immortality of the human race are, seemingly nothing, dispatched seemingly nothing in a handful of dialogues and that’s it. The perversity of imposed beauty standards, the youthfulness of this business manager married to a young woman the age of his daughter, all of this will remain desperately in the background. The systematic refusal to treat his subject is almost an exploit.

The same goes for the question of large manufacturers capable of selling anything and everything (essentially anything) while circumventing public health rules. Capitalist cynicism is once again mentioned during an expeditious dialogue but the subject will never be explored in depthsimply stated out loud as if this false treatment was already more than enough. The development fits on half a post-it.

It can always be objected that The Elixir wanted to be simple entertainment, not a great social work. This would be to forget the extent to which horror cinema has always been the genre of choice for filmmakers wanting to convey complex and political ideas without losing any of the primary pleasure offered to spectators. As it stands, it is above all an empty shell that Kimo Stamboel offers us.

The Elixir is available on Netflix since October 23, 2025