Apprentice (2016)

Inevitably, a transfer to a maximum security prison will eventually challenge the integrity and ethics of a young correctional officer on his way to become a chief executioner.

Director:

Junfeng Boo

Writers:

Junfeng Boo (story), Junfeng Boo

Stars:

Firdaus Rahman, Wan Hanafi Su, Mastura Ahmad

6 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Firdaus Rahman	...	Aiman
Wan Hanafi Su	...	Rahim
Mastura Ahmad	...	Suhaila
Boon Pin Koh	...	James
Nickson Cheng	...	Joseph
Crispian Chan	...	Randy
Gerald Chew	...	Hock
Ong Chao Hong	...	Death Row Officer
Sean Tobin	...	John
Delon Tan	...	Twin
Dillon Tan	...	Twin
Najib Soiman	...	Sabir
Goh Mia Chuan Smiley	...	Father Daniel
Prem John	...	Locker Room Officer
Marcus Mok	...	Mr. Siew

Storyline

Aiman is a 28-year-old Malay correctional officer who is recently transferred to the territory's top prison. He lives with his older sister Suhaila in a modest housing estate. At his new workplace, Aiman begins to take an interest in a 65-year-old sergeant named Rahim. Soon, it is revealed that the charismatic Rahim is actually the long-serving chief executioner of the prison. Rahim also takes notice of the principled and diligent Aiman. When Rahim's assistant suddenly quits, he asks Aiman to become his apprentice. Aiman tells Suhaila of his new job position, but Suhaila becomes upset, as their father was actually executed by Rahim. Aiman knew this all along. Can Aiman overcome his conscience and a haunted past to possibly take over as the next chief executioner?

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Plot Keywords:

executioner | prison | apprentice | maximum security prison | malay | 

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Taglines:

A good executor never asks questions.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

augenschein FIlmproduktion [Germany]

Country:

Singapore Germany France Hong Kong Qatar

Language:

Malay English

Release Date:

3 March 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tu xing

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$107, 17 March 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,578, 14 April 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Akanga Film Productions,Augenschein Filmproduktion,Cinémadefacto

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie received an 8 minutes standing ovation during its premiere at Cannes Film Festival 2016.

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Quotes

Rahim: My job is to make sure he dies instantly. Make sure there's no pain. In some countries they use the short drop. It's pitiful, you know. The guy really suffers. They'll let him struggle for 30 minutes until he turns blue and soils his pants before he dies. But here, we are humane. We make sure it is quick and painless. The perfect job is when we fracture between the second and third vertebrae. This spot here. Can you feel it? When he drops, you will hear a 'crack!' And that's it. He stops moving...

User Reviews

Being a hangman

Strong and straight forward drama in which a young prison guard is trained by an old chief to be the next 'hangman'. Both the young guard as the old chief have their inner demons and strong difficulties in coping with the job. Being a kind of legal killer is not like another day in the office. It leaves marks. This film describes in a non-sensational way that those who actually have to execute the death penalty, die also a little bit inside with each hanging the system 'asks' them to do.