ENTERTAINMENT
[REVIEW] The Experts: A Family Drama Packed Into a Classic Heist Movie
The best heist movies are often less about the heist itself and more about the dynamics and conflicts between the characters. This is clear when considering classic heist movies such as Now You See Me, The Italian Job, and Ocean's Eleven.
Similarly, 'The Experts' perfectly highlights a conflict between a family of five siblings who, after a decade of hard-earned peace, are ruthlessly dragged back to their treacherous past.
Like the movies mentioned above, rather than focusing on being yet another heist movie, the film is a story of retribution, forgiveness, understanding, and the conflicts and tension between family members.
Astro Shaw produced the 121-minute fictional film associated with ZAK Capital, TGV Pictures, and production by BlackFlag. It features a stellar ensemble of local talents, including Dato Aaron Aziz, Syafiq Kyle, Mimi Lana, Remy Ishak, Ray Dapdap, Maya Karin, Tony Eusoff, Wan Hanafi Su, Jay Iswazir, Douglas Lim, and Michael Ang.
It was written by Joel Soh, the creator of the box office franchise Polis Evo, and directed by Andre Chiew, the director of Polis Evo 2, alongside Nazim Shah, the director of J2: J Retribusi.
The decision to focus on the relationship between the family members rather than just the heist was made intentionally as producer and scriptwriter Joel Soh shared, “I strongly believe if a film lacks dramatic scenes that we can relate to, it will feel 'empty'. Therefore, as in this film and our previous films, we always try to find a theme to make the film seem complete.”
He explained that “The scenes and characters portrayed in this film are beyond realistic,” so the drama between the criminal siblings is needed to ground the story and give the audience something realistic to relate to.
“We want to incorporate the usual family conflicts that can divide a family and highlight values such as forgiveness and understanding,” he added.
The film starts with a heist that happened a couple of years ago. The siblings showcase their talents and specific roles during the heist, where Aaron's character (Farid) leads as the maestro, Syafiq (Keyrol) specialises in intelligence gathering, Mimi (Emma) is the manipulation expert, Remy (Amer) handles disguises, and Ray (Lan) portrays the hacking specialist.
Following the initial heist, the story follows the family of five who, after a 10-year hiatus, find themselves back into the life of crime after a notorious gangster blackmails them into a heart-pounding heist where old grudges ignite, and a shocking family tragedy resurfaces.
Overall, we loved the movie, as it perfectly combines drama, action, and comedic elements in one adrenaline-filled package. Some of the most memorable scenes included a particular dance scene in the movie, which saw Remy Ishak and Maya Karin tango together, as well as Mimi Lana’s acrobatic fight scenes. Another highlight is seeing Aaron and Syafiq’s characters putting their unresolved conflicts aside to fight a horde of gang members, a stark difference from their relationship in Sheriff.
The movie is set for public release on May 23 and will be screened in 172 cinemas in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. However, you can purchase tickets starting May 17 to be among the first to watch the film during the sneak preview starting May 21 at 6:00 pm, two days before the official release date.
Meanwhile, Malaysians can look forward to a series of road tours that include engaging activities such as 'Unlock The Safe' and 'Heist The Truck'.
Film tours for 'The Experts' will commence on:
- May 24, 25, 26 in the Klang Valley,
- May 31 in Seremban,
- June 1 in Johor,
- June 2 in Melaka,
- June 7 in Kedah,
- June 8 in Penang, and,
- June 9 in Perak.
For more details, refer to Astro Shaw's social media accounts.
Featured Image Credit: Provided to Rojak Daily
Featured Image Credit: Provided to Rojak Daily