By: Melany Mabagos
Directed and Produced by Syafiq Yusof, the film follows three interconnected storylines revolving around the dark underbelly of the police force and illegal drug trade. Inspector Nazri Mutalib (Syafiq Kyle), a young and idealistic cop from the Narcotics Department, takes justice into his own hands to bust a methamphetamine drug syndicate led by drug lord Tony Ifrit (Aaron Aziz). With a “Meth Killer” on the loose eliminating anyone associated with the drug lord, Deputy Superintendent Sherifuddin Hussein (Zul Ariffin) from the Integrity Department is tasked with investigating the vigilante. Eventually, the two join forces to bring down the syndicate together.
Syafiq comes from a family of actors and filmmakers and took the directing helm of the project, while his father, Yusof Haslam, a well-known actor, film director and producer, came up with the film’s original story. With Syafiq’s reputation as the “king of plot twists,” and Yusof’s decades of experience in the industry, the father-son duo helped garner a lot of attention for the film as it accumulated RM52 million in the box office.
The film’s story is a unique take on the conventional police-centered films from Malaysia, giving light to the internal corruption present in law enforcement. The crew were also able to get approval from the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) as they were making the film, with the PDRM providing guidance to the team throughout the production process.
With the film’s approach to police corruption and the fresh story that audiences enjoyed, Sheriff: Narko Integriti managed to join the list of top grossing Malaysian-made blockbuster films. The recorded highest-grossing Malaysian film of all time is Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan (2022), which earned RM97 million in the box office and was directed by Syafiq’s brother, Syamsul Yusof, followed by Syafiq’s own film, Polis Evo 3 (2023), which earned RM54 million.
As the renaissance of action blockbusters in Malaysia continues, what is your favorite film from the Yusof family? Share it with us in the comment section!