The Other Guys, Bad Boys, 21 Jumpstreet - everyone loves buddy duo movies, and Hollywood managed to milk decades of these movies from their writers and producers. They’re fun, action-packed and thrilling so; what’s not to love?
Hollywood aside, locally we also have buddy duo movies that are iconic and entertaining. With the buzz surrounding the recent Polis Evo 3 hype, we intend to list down the best Malaysian Buddy Duo movies we’ve ever had.
1. Labu dan Labi (1962)
An absolute classic. Starring the legendary P Ramlee and M Zain, this film explores the misadventures of two bubbly servants who live with their miserly employer. During a particularly difficult night, they both dream up scenarios where they get to experience their respective fantasies whilst further incurring their employer's wrath. The film is a favourite among loyal P Ramlee fans, which also featured the likes of the late Aziz Sattar, Saloma, Udo Omar and Shariff Dol.
It’s So Good That: The film became a blueprint for many comedic duo movies that came after
2. Mechamato Movie (2022)
The Mechamato brand is part of Malaysia’s very own animation Rennaissance era, together with the likes of Upin & Ipin and its sequel franchise, Boboiboy. The film tells the story of a young boy named Amato who stumbles upon a talking robot named MechaBot. Through clever tactics, Amato gains control over MechaBot, unlocking its remarkable power to transform ordinary objects into advanced technological devices. Unbeknownst to Amato, MechaBot is being pursued by a malevolent cybernetic alien named Grakakus, who is determined to seize MechaBot by any means necessary for his nefarious schemes. Mechamato’s hype train spawned itself a series, a movie and multiple lines of merchandising as it’s famous among the younglings!
It’s So Good That: the film became the first non-Japanese production to win the Anime Fan Award in Tokyo
3. Polis Evo 3 (2023)
Of course we can’t end the list without mentioning the big one. The Polis Evo franchise is the most popular buddy cop film in Malaysian history. The third instalment revolves around Inspectors Khai and Sani, who returns with a new mission. This time, their team is joined by Inspectors Dani, Julie, and Dell, each possessing different expertise. The situation becomes more complicated when Inspector Khai becomes the next target. The friendship between Inspector Khai and Inspector Sani is tested when they discover that the suspect they are pursuing has a connection to Inspector Khai's past. At the moment of writing, Polis Evo 3’s box office sales surpassed RM45 million and show no signs of slowing down.
It’s So Good That: The film is celebrated in other forms such as an online event in PUBG Mobile together with voice packs and other items, action figures and more.
4. Songlap
Directed by KAMI the Movie filmmakers Effendee Mazlan and Fariza Azlina, Songlap explores the true grit of Kuala Lumpur as a Metropolitan. The film follows two brothers as they resort to unsavoury means to survive the gruesome life in the slums. Starring Shaheizy Sam and Syafie Naswip, Songlap tells the untold in the most brutal of fashion and since its release, no film comes close to the level of quality the production holds. Sara Ali’s performance in the film as a young mother also struck a chord with many Malaysian film enthusiasts out there.
It’s So Good That: The film won numerous awards at ASEAN International Film Festival, FFM, Anugerah Blockbuster and Anugerah Skrin.
5. The Assistant
Okay, we know this film is not rated as highly as the others, but hear us out. Iedil Dzuhrie Alaudin as the main lead? Hairul Azreen as his chaotic, violent, and unhinged partner? Hunting down the killers of the protagonist's family? The Assistant didn't have to be an Oscar-award winning flick to be entertaining - it already is. Directed by PASKAL and upcoming MALBATT: Misi Bakara director Adrian Teh, The Assistant is your no-BS, no-holds-barred action film for the thrillseekers.
It's So Good That: The film garnered the biggest opening day sales of the year before Mat Kilau entered the frame