Apprentice

I don't know how many films about hangmen, and only them, were made during movie history. I remind Jack Smight's TRAVELING EXECUTIONER back in 1970. But this feature from Singapore is a real hit in the face. It draws a portrait of those men, at least in this country where the capital punishment is hanging...It would be interesting to see how the hangmen in the USA proceed with the electric chair or the gas chamber... Anyway, you deal here with a powerful piece of work, accurate, astounding movie pulled by performances that I repeat hit you in the face. The struggle of a new prison guard who becomes the hangman's assistant, long time after his own father was himself executed by the same hangman. Those schemes about forgiveness, guilt or vengeance have already been told a billion times before, but this one, in this very feature, is absolutely unforeseeable. You can't expect what will eventually happen. Impossible. No clichés here. None of them. No bad guys or good ones. No cruel prison wardens or cold executioner scheme, on the contrary, everything is so human. So true. So real.

A real must see.

I have just watched this film on BBC 4 and really enjoyed it. It makes no judgement for or against capital punishment, the rights or wrongs of those who carry it out. It a short, un-melodramatic film which sees all sides of the argument, the executioner, the family and the perpetrator. The end was ambiguous and slightly contrived but overall it was well made and well acted. I'm glad I watched it.

If you love real movies where there is no bad and good when humans interact then you have to watch this film.

Treats the same theme of "el verdugo", for many the best Spanish film ever. The dilemmas of the executioner who struggles to convince himself that this is a job like every one else and someone has to do it. Needs guts to be a legal serial killer and sleep well during the nights without doubt.

Just see it and you will feel compassion, hate and frustration at the same time. When a movie makes you feel strong feelings, is a good movie.

Nothing else, a must watch.

A Singaporean drama; A story about a Malay corrections officer who embarks on a challenging new career as apprentice to the prison hangman. This simple revenge story transforms into a film with a theme on rage, guilt and acceptance. The story is effectively told with drip-feed revelations and a mounting tension as the plot takes the character into successively grim scenarios. Thematically, it is simple, however, and the film stops short of broaching the subject of legal killings or the one pertaining to the character.

Aiman is 28 and works as a correction office or prison guard as we normally refer to them as. Then he gets transferred to the top 'nick' in the country and this is where they carry out the executions that they are so fond of doing there. Once there he meets Rahim who is charming and World wise. He is drawn to this man who has been the executioner for a long time and knows his craft.

Now as it turns out his father was executed some years before leaving him and his sister in dire straits and affecting them both forever. However, the attraction that Aiman has for Rahim and his special service is stronger than the revulsion and hence he goes on a journey of self discovery.

This is Malay but they speak mostly English but there are sub titles that you may need from time to time which are also quite good. The production values are actually really high and the acting is all top notch too. The story is a simple one but it is compelling and has enough dramatic attention to hold your attention. Recommended for World cinema fans.