The Indonesian horror film The Elixir tells the story of a family reunion that turns into a nightmare. The movie, which released on Netflix on October 23, 2025, follows a family as they fight to survive after an experimental herbal potion transforms people into aggressive zombies. The film ends with a grim revelation that the disaster is far from over.
How The Zombie Outbreak Starts
The story centers on the family behind the herbal medicine company Wani Waras. The owner, Sadimin, has created a new formula that he claims can reverse aging. He demonstrates the potion’s power to his family, showing a visibly younger appearance. This miracle cure, however, has a catastrophic side effect.
During a tense family argument, Sadimin begins to convulse and vomit blood. He collapses and soon wakes up as a flesh-eating zombie. He quickly bites his driver and a house helper, infecting them. The infection spreads rapidly through the remote village, especially after the bitten driver crashes into a large local ceremony, creating a horde of fast-moving undead.
The Fight For Survival And Major Deaths
The remaining family members and villagers are separated into two groups and must fight to stay alive. Rudi, Kenes’s soon-to-be ex-husband, is bitten by a zombie while protecting their son, Raihan. Before fully transforming, he tells his son to look after his mother. He later turns into a zombie and attacks Raihan and Karina before being impaled.
At the local police station, the survivors devise a plan to use fireworks to distract the sound-sensitive zombies. The plan leads to a tragic end for several characters. Police officer Rahman and his girlfriend Ningsih are both bitten. In their final moments, surrounded by zombies, Rahman proposes to Ningsih, placing a ring on her finger. The couple dies together.
Bambang, Sadimin’s son, who initially felt guilty for shooting his father, finds redemption. Trapped under a crashed van and surrounded by zombies, he makes the ultimate sacrifice. He ignites a large cache of fireworks, creating a massive explosion that kills many zombies and allows the last survivors to escape.
The Final Survivors And A Mother’s Sacrifice
After the explosion, Kenes is finally reunited with her son Raihan. However, she soon discovers a zombie bite on her arm. Knowing she will turn into a monster, she makes a heartbreaking decision. She entrusts her son to her stepmother, Karina, and then sacrifices herself to draw the zombies away.
Kenes entrusts Raihan to Karina, ensuring her son has protection, before using a firework to draw the attention of the remaining undead.
Kenes shoots herself rather than transform. The only two survivors from the family are Karina and young Raihan, who drive away on a motorbike from the destroyed village.
The Post-Credit Scene And The Unstoppable Outbreak
The ending of The Elixir makes it clear that the zombie virus was not contained. In a post-credit scene, the story moves to Jakarta. A character named Mrs. Grace is shown having taken a sample of Sadimin’s elixir. She proudly admires her newly youthful look in a mirror, completely unaware that she is about to turn into a zombie.
This final scene confirms that the zombie threat is no longer confined to the small village. The very product that was meant to bring eternal youth has doomed the capital city to the same fate, setting the stage for a wider apocalypse.
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