The Malaysian film industry is no stranger to comparison and critical reviews from avid cinema watchers. With new international movies getting the most spotlight, finding a local film that deserves the same spot is challenging. Thankfully, new directors are keen on breaking the barrier. With an inventive screenplay that challenges the norm, you can still find a diamond in the rough.
Recently, a movie directed by Syafiq Yusof and published by Skop Productions and Astro Shaw, Sheriff: Narko Integriti amassed RM31 million just a few weeks after release. The movie topped the chart as the number-one film, beating many international movies in just a few weeks. Sheriff also broke the box office record after grossing RM60 million in 30 days.
How Sheriff Reshaped Malaysia’s Film Landscape
As a filmmaker, Syafiq Yusof has evolved from appealing to a mass audience to doing something worth watching. As the local scene is flooded with comedy and horror movies, Syafiq Yusof boldly made something different with Sheriff: Narko Integriti.
With a line-up of popular local stars like Zul Ariffin, Aaron Aziz, Syafiq Kyle, Elizabeth Tan, and many others, Sheriff brought a breath of fresh air to the local police and crime movies. It also introduced a new concept that had never been used before in other Malaysian films: the ‘reverse whodunnit’.
Sheriff follows the story of Officer Nazri (Syafiq Kyle) from the Narcotic Department who’s looking to stop the drug syndicate by a drug lord, Tony Ifrit (Aaron Aziz). Officer Nazri must also work alongside another Integrity Department Officer, Sheriffudin (Zul Ariffin). A clash of ideas, egos, and ethics are some challenges that Sheriffudin and Nazri have to overcome as they are also on the hunt for a criminal dubbed “The Meth Killer”.
In Sheriff: Narko Integriti, audiences will know from the start who’s the antagonist. Then, they will learn how the antagonist is being caught. However, Syafiq Yusof is well-known as the King of Plot Twist. So, Sheriff will not be a straightforward movie without an unexpected plot and a twist of characters.
The Royal Police Malaysia’s Reaction To Sheriff: Narko Integriti
There is always a downside when something is loved by many. Though Sheriff’s success brought a lot of praise from moviegoers and film critics, it somehow made people question the storyline that exposed the dark side of local police. For instance, bribery, extortion, and abuse of power are some of the hard messages that Syafiq Yusof tried to convey with this masterpiece.
Though Sheriff might reflect the reality of police and authorities, Syafiq was clear on his vision and said his work was merely a work of fiction. He also claimed the movie wasn’t directed towards specific bodies or organizations. The original idea for the screenplay came from his father, the veteran Malaysia actor Datuk Yusof Haslam. Datuk Yusof Haslam is famous for acting and producing many police dramas and movies. Therefore, Syafiq is convinced that Sheriff: Narko Integriti follows the rules and regulations of Malaysian media.
The script was also reviewed by the Royal Police Malaysia and the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia before the production released the movie to a mass audience. No issue was raised and the Royal Police Malaysia was very open and welcoming to promoting Sheriff to the public.
Conquering The Asia Market
After capturing the hearts of Malaysians, Sheriff set to broaden its popularity by going international. On May 23rd, Sheriff: Narko Integriti made its first premier during a Gala Film Night at Jakarta, Indonesia. Even the main cast like Zul Ariffin, Elizabeth Tan, Azira Syafinaz, and others flew to Jakarta to promote the movie.
Syafiq Yusof also wrote a post on his X account saying he couldn’t wait to bring Sheriff to the Indonesian audiences. He also hoped that Joko Anwar, one of his idols in filmmaking, could spend time watching his work. A few days later, Joko Anwar, one of the sought-after Indonesian filmmakers, replied that he couldn’t wait to watch Sheriff once it’s available at cinemas in Indonesia.
Fortune seems to favor Syafiq as Indonesian moviegoers were quite pleased with Sheriff: Narko Integriti. The movie was also released at 100 cinemas in Indonesia. Skop Productions also revealed that Sheriff managed to attract the attention of one of the representatives of Hong Kong Warner Bros during the first premier night on April 16th. Once again, Syafiq Yusof announced through his X post that Sheriff will come to Hong Kong’s cinemas on Jun 6th.
Hong Kong Warner Bros requested a title change to appeal to their audience. Instead of Sheriff: Narko Integriti, they suggest changing the movie title to Meth Killer ‘Sheriff’. However, the movie will still be in Malay with Mandarin subtitles.
Upcoming Sheriff Sequel in Planning
Due to the unexpected and enormous success of Sheriff, fans can expect a continuation of this franchise. Syafiq Yusof has confirmed that he’s developing a sequel for this movie. Since he is still looking for the best script and ideas for the screenplay, it might take a few years for Sheriff’s fans to wait.
