Are we tired of zombie movies yet? Everyone has to decide that for themselves, but just in case you aren’t tired yet, Netflix brings us one more zombie flick, this time from Indonesia and titled “The Elixir”.
In the saturated landscape of zombie cinema, a new contender from Indonesia is preparing to redefine the apocalypse, anchoring the terror not in a lab virus or an unexplained plague, but in the depths of its own cultural heritage. “The Elixir”, whose original title is “Abadi Nan Jaya”, emerges as the first Indonesian zombie film produced in collaboration with Netflix, a project that fuses visceral horror with family drama, local folklore, and even touches of dark comedy.
Directed by acclaimed horror master Kimo Stamboel, the film steers clear of Western genre conventions to explore a uniquely disturbing premise: an undead outbreak unleashed by a traditional herbal elixir intended to grant eternal youth.
The narrative is built around unchecked ambition and human arrogance, presenting a catastrophe that isn’t a random event, but a direct consequence of the perversion of an ancient tradition. By placing the plague’s origin in jamu—Indonesia’s traditional herbal medicine—the film deliberately “domesticates” a global horror archetype.
The zombie, usually a symbol of anxieties about uncontrolled science or social collapse, is recontextualized here as a monster born from the culture’s own core. The threat doesn’t come from an unknown external agent, but from the corruption of an intrinsic element, one meant to heal but transformed into a curse by human greed.
This approach makes the horror far more intimate and unsettling. The monster isn’t some foreign “other”; it’s a manifestation of “us,” a reflection of how the most sacred traditions can be desecrated in the selfish pursuit of power and immortality. The story, therefore, promises to be more than a simple struggle for survival; it’s shaping up to be a thematic exploration of the fragility of cultural heritage in the face of human ambition.
The Plot: Ambition, Family Conflict, and the Descent into Chaos
The narrative of “The Elixir” unfolds in a setting that maximizes isolation and tension: a remote village near Yogyakarta, a region emblematic of Javanese culture. This rural, secluded backdrop functions as a crucible, trapping its characters in a microcosm where internal tensions are about to boil over, long before the supernatural threat manifests.
At the heart of this community is the family that owns a renowned herbal medicine business named “Abadi Nan Jaya,” a name that ironically translates to “Eternally Victorious.” The family business is also struggling to stay afloat amidst modern competition, adding a layer of desperation to the patriarch’s actions.
The conflict ignites with the arrival of Kenes, played by Mikha Tambayong, who returns to her family home to confront her father, the patriarch Sadimin (Donny Damara), about the future of the business and his controversial personal decisions. The dispute isn’t just professional but deeply personal, establishing a drama centered on legacy, generational control, and unresolved emotional wounds from the very beginning.
The tension dramatically escalates when Kenes discovers that her best friend, Karina (Eva Celia), intends to marry her elderly father, Sadimin. This relationship triangle adds a layer of betrayal and jealousy that further poisons the family atmosphere, pushing emotions to the breaking point.
It is at the climax of this heated family confrontation that the horror is unleashed. Driven by an obsessive quest for power and longevity, Sadimin consumes his latest creation: an experimental elixir promising eternal youth. However, instead of the hoped-for revitalization, the concoction triggers a monstrous transformation. Sadimin loses consciousness and is reborn as a terrifying creature, the patient zero of a zombie plague that will spread throughout the village.
The narrative structure makes it clear that the apocalypse is not an accident, but a direct and metaphorical consequence of the family’s internal rot. The physical monstrosity that emerges is a mirror of the emotional and moral corruption already consuming them. The greed for control of the business, the jealousy over the relationship between Karina and Sadimin, and the arrogance of defying mortality are the true pathogens. The elixir, rather than curing the fundamental human flaw of aging, magnifies their worst impulses until they become a literal plague.
In this way, the film uses the zombie apocalypse as a powerful allegorical device. To survive the external threat of the living dead, the fractured family must first confront and heal the internal poisons—ego, resentment, and betrayal—that were destroying them long before the first bite.
Kimo Stamboel: The Vision of an Indonesian Horror Master
At the helm of this project is Kimo Stamboel, an established figure and one of the most influential voices in contemporary Indonesian horror cinema. Stamboel not only directs but also co-writes the screenplay with Agasyah Karim and Khalid Kashogi, with Edwin Nazir of Mowin Pictures producing. His involvement lends the project proven authority and artistic vision, placing “The Elixir” in the trajectory of an auteur with a distinctive style and a deep understanding of the genre.
Stamboel’s filmography is a testament to his ability to create oppressive atmospheres and terrors deeply rooted in the Indonesian cultural context. He is known for his “evocative touch in horror films” and has directed box-office hits and acclaimed genre works like The Queen of Black Magic, Sewu Dino (A Thousand Days), Dancing Village: The Curse Begins, Headshot, and Macabre. These works are characterized by their exploration of folklore, black magic, and supernatural curses, solidifying his reputation as a filmmaker who draws horror from local traditions and beliefs.
Despite his vast experience, “The Elixir” marks a milestone in his career, as it is the “first time he has directed a film with a zombie theme.” This foray into a globally recognized subgenre appears to be a strategic artistic decision. In his own words, Stamboel has expressed his pride not only in exploring a “new element of terror” for himself but also in “showcasing and elevating Indonesian culture on the international stage” through this collaboration with Netflix. This statement reveals a dual ambition: on one hand, the personal challenge of reinventing a familiar archetype, and on the other, the goal of acting as a cultural ambassador.
This move can be interpreted as a calculated evolution in his career. Stamboel seems to be using the familiar and universally understandable framework of a zombie movie as a “Trojan horse” to introduce a global audience to the specifics of Indonesian culture, such as jamu and complex Javanese family dynamics. Instead of simply adopting a Hollywood formula, he is applying his signature style of culturally specific horror to a global template.
This strategy of fusing the local with the global (“glocal”) aligns perfectly with Netflix’s production model, which seeks content with a strong local identity but international appeal. Therefore, “The Elixir” represents not just a new film in his filmography, but a deliberate expansion of his artistic and commercial reach, a calculated attempt to bring his vision of Indonesian horror to a worldwide scale without diluting its essence.
The Faces of Survival: The Cast
Actress, singer, and model Mikha Tambayong stars as Kenes, Sadimin’s daughter who returns to the village to confront her father about the business’s future and his personal decisions, placing her at the center of the family conflict. Her casting is particularly significant as it marks a new collaboration with director Kimo Stamboel after she starred in his previous horror hit, Sewu Dino (2023). This prior familiarity with the director’s style and the genre’s demands suggests a creative synergy that will benefit the film.
Eva Celia, a versatile actress and musician, takes on the role of Karina, Kenes’s best friend whose intention to marry Kenes’s father, Sadimin, creates a deep emotional rift just before disaster strikes. Celia’s filmography demonstrates remarkable range, spanning from horror in Takut: Faces of Fear (2008) to martial arts cinema with the epic The Golden Cane Warrior (2014) and the recent action-thriller The Shadow Strays (2024). Her experience in physically demanding roles positions her as an ideal choice for a survival-horror film.
The role of the patriarch Sadimin falls to the respected and award-winning actor Donny Damara. He plays the owner of the jamu business whose unchecked ambition for eternal youth leads him to become the zombie apocalypse’s patient zero, acting as the catalyst for the catastrophe. Damara is a highly prestigious figure in Asian cinema, whose most notable achievement was winning Best Actor at the Asian Film Awards for his brave and transformative portrayal of a transgender woman in the film Lovely Man (2011). His presence in the cast brings immense dramatic gravity to the project, ensuring that the character who becomes the primary monster is played with the complexity and pathos required.
The supporting cast also features notable actors such as Dimas Anggara, Marthino Lio, Kiki Narendra, Ardit Erwandha, Claresta Taufan, and Varen Arianda Calief, who complete the ensemble of characters fighting to survive the chaos.
A Global Premiere for the Apocalypse
“The Elixir” (“Abadi Nan Jaya”) will be available for global and exclusive streaming on Netflix starting October 23, 2025.
