Netflix‘s Indonesian horror sensation The Elixir has taken the streaming world by storm, racking up over 11 million views within days of its October 23, 2025 release. If you’re still reeling from that explosive family drama meets zombie apocalypse and need your next fix, we’ve compiled seven films that capture similar thrills, chills, and unexpected heart.
Table of Contents
Netflix Guide: The Elixir and Similar Zombie Films
| Film Title | Year | Director | Key Theme | Where to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Elixir | 2025 | Kimo Stamboel | Family/Science Gone Wrong | Netflix |
| 28 Days Later | 2002 | Danny Boyle | Man-Made Virus | Apple TV+ |
| I Am Legend | 2007 | Francis Lawrence | Isolation/Scientific Tragedy | Apple TV+ |
| Zombieland | 2009 | Ruben Fleischer | Comedy/Found Family | Apple TV+ |
| Cemetery Man | 1994 | Michele Soavi | Dark Humor/Existential | Various |
| Shaun of the Dead | 2004 | Edgar Wright | Comedy/Relationships | Amazon Prime |
| Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead | 2014 | Kiah Roache-Turner | Science/Family Bonds | Prime Video |
| Warm Bodies | 2013 | Jonathan Levine | Romance/Redemption | Apple TV+ |
Why The Elixir Resonates
Before diving into recommendations, let’s understand what makes The Elixir special. Set in rural Yogyakarta, this Indonesian film follows a dysfunctional family running a traditional herbal medicine (jamu) business. When the patriarch’s obsession with immortality backfires, his experimental elixir triggers a devastating zombie outbreak, forcing his estranged family to reunite for survival.
Director Kimo Stamboel (one half of the acclaimed Mo Brothers duo) delivers relentless action with stunning drone cinematography over rice fields and brutal practical effects that don’t shy away from gore. It’s Netflix’s latest horror hit proving international cinema can dominate global charts.
1. 28 Days Later – The Fast Zombie Blueprint
Danny Boyle revolutionized zombie cinema with this 2002 masterpiece starring Cillian Murphy. Waking from a coma into a London ravaged by the “Rage” virus, Murphy’s character discovers humanity’s scientific experiments have unleashed something far worse than death itself.
Shot on eerily empty U.K. streets at dawn, the film’s haunting imagery parallels The Elixir‘s desolate village landscapes. Both explore how man-made infections spiral catastrophically out of control, turning progress into apocalypse. The sprinting zombies here will feel familiar to anyone who witnessed The Elixir‘s terrifying “clicking” undead.
2. I Am Legend – Solitary Survival Against Science’s Hubris
Will Smith delivers a powerhouse performance in this 2007 adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel. As the last immune survivor in New York City, virologist Dr. Robert Neville searches for a cure while nocturnal mutants hunt him.
Like The Elixir, this film wrestles with isolation and scientific tragedy—the noble intention to cure humanity becomes its downfall. Both films ask: at what cost does progress come? Smith’s emotional journey with his dog Sam mirrors the family bonds that anchor The Elixir‘s chaos.
3. Zombieland – Finding Family in the Apocalypse
Ruben Fleischer’s 2009 comedy proves zombie films don’t need constant dread. Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin form an unlikely found family navigating America’s undead wasteland with humor and heart.
While tonally lighter, Zombieland shares The Elixir‘s core message: survival depends on human connection. Both films balance intense action with genuine emotional moments, showing how catastrophe can forge unbreakable bonds between strangers—or in The Elixir‘s case, estranged relatives.
4. Cemetery Man – Existential Horror Meets Dark Comedy
This 1994 Italian cult classic starring Rupert Everett follows Francesco Dellamorte, a cemetery caretaker in Buffalora who must repeatedly kill the dead rising from their graves. Surrounded by decay, he searches for love and meaning in absurdity.
Cemetery Man mirrors The Elixir through its philosophical approach to the undead. Both use zombies to explore existential despair and humanity’s futile attempts to control life and death. If you appreciated The Elixir‘s deeper themes beneath the gore, this artistic horror experience will resonate.
5. Shaun of the Dead – British Wit Meets Zombie Terror
Edgar Wright’s 2004 genre-bending masterpiece follows Simon Pegg’s aimless Shaun navigating London’s zombie apocalypse while trying to win back his ex-girlfriend and rescue his mother. Part of Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, it perfectly balances horror with sharp satire.
Like The Elixir, this film proves ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances create the most compelling stories. Both explore how outbreaks force characters to confront personal relationships while battling the undead, mixing terror with unexpected humor born from fear.
6. Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead – Aussie Ingenuity in the Apocalypse
Kiah Roache-Turner’s 2014 Australian action-horror follows mechanic Barry as he discovers zombie blood is flammable fuel while searching for his sister Brooke, who’s gained the power to control the undead after military experiments.
Wyrmwood and The Elixir share inventive approaches to zombie mythology, merging family bonds with science gone catastrophically wrong. Both showcase rebellion against systems misusing power and feature siblings fighting together against overwhelming odds in visually creative ways.
7. Warm Bodies – Love Conquers Even Death
Jonathan Levine’s 2013 romantic comedy stars Nicholas Hoult as R, a zombie who begins regaining humanity after falling for human survivor Julie (Teresa Palmer). Their connection sparks hope, suggesting transformation is possible even post-apocalypse.
While tonally different from The Elixir‘s intensity, Warm Bodies shares themes of transformation and redemption. Both suggest that even when the world falls to the undead, humanity’s capacity for love and renewal endures—whether through romantic connection or family reconciliation.
FAQs
What makes The Elixir different from typical zombie movies?
The Elixir stands out through its unique Indonesian cultural setting, specifically its focus on traditional jamu herbal medicine as the outbreak catalyst. The film also emphasizes family dysfunction and reconciliation more than typical zombie fare, while showcasing stunning drone cinematography over rice fields and rural landscapes rarely seen in Western zombie films.
Are these recommendations suitable for all audiences like The Elixir?
No—The Elixir carries strong violence and gore ratings, as do most films on this list. 28 Days Later, I Am Legend, Wyrmwood, and Cemetery Man feature intense violence and disturbing imagery. Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead balance horror with comedy but still contain graphic content. Only Warm Bodies offers a relatively gentler PG-13 experience suitable for younger teen audiences.
