With the Rekaan Rakyat collection’s August 17 comeback, Netflix will highlight some of the best works by Malaysian filmmakers on this National Day.
Three new movies, including the critically acclaimed revenge thriller The Assistant, independent martial arts film Kill-Fist, and sci-fi thriller Ceroboh, are scheduled to debut on Netflix later this month. They will join the catalogue of nearly 150 Malaysian movies, television series, and animated programmes (The Screaming Sky). Read on to learn more about Kill-Fist:
Zhang (Sunny Pang), a middle-aged man battling with a dead-end career as an insurance salesperson, is on the verge of losing custody of his daughter and having to take care of his father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and he is at his wits’ end. He enrols in a lethal game out of desperation for money, which leads him to face his violent history.
He accomplished more than his fair share of film work over the years along with his 2012 blockbuster action comedy, The Collector, long before he first caught my attention with a webseries proof dubbed Second Life. The movie stars Sunny Pang, who previously starred alongside Lee in 2009’s Call Me If You Need Me. Since then, their respective career trajectories have taken divergent paths, with Lee eventually establishing his own independent film label in his native Malaysia, Doghouse 73 Pictures. Under the label, Lee oversees a number of shorts and proofs, the first of which I noticed was Second Life in 2014.
As a married father of four and active TV actor in Singapore, Pang has kept himself quite busy. He has also made incredible progress in the world of international cinema, earning festival accolades for the ‘Mo Bros. actioner, Headshot, and even Timo Tjahjanto’s The Night Comes For Us on Netflix.
Lee was motivated to grow with Second Life as he did while preserving his versatility as a director in various genres by his success on The Collector. Although thankfully fans of Pang, who have been especially interested in his work over the past few years, can find solace in Lee’s tenacious progress and movement following their most recent micro-budgeted indie, Kill-Fist, the fact that creative and developmental bureaucracy in Malaysia’s film industry continues to be a problem has indeed been a hurdle.
With Pang, Lee co-writes, co-directs, and co-executives a story that pulses more in its psychological fervor than anything else. The first thing Lee presents to you is action, a 30-second tease of what’s to come before a story based on a number of individuals.
Pang portrays Zhang, a troubled father who is going through a contentious divorce with his acrimonious soon-to-be ex-wife, with whom he shares a daughter named Didi. Actress Koe Yeet joins the cast as Jean, a dedicated student caring for her elderly mother, while actor Alan Yun plays John, a stern pastor striving to treat his dying wife.
The film’s major focus is Kill-Fist, an illegal underground combat competition where participants can earn money digitally through connected wristwatches as they win increasingly larger cash prizes. All three of these people are interconnected in some way. The enigmatic “Teacher Kwok,” who the candidates communicate with on social media, is the event’s host.
On the surface, Zhang’s character is every bit the underdog that the film’s concept would suggest. Due to the fact that both he and John have competing interests, his story is written to elicit a similar level of sympathy. The plot gets thicker as we learn more about Jean’s personal struggles, including her relationship with her lewd lecturer, Mr. Lim, played by Mike Chuah, therein lies the genius of the screenplay.
Here, Lee’s storytelling is more intellectual than before, underscoring the storyline even more and alluding to what is truly going on beyond the surface of what we see on television. Despite everything being up for interpretation, there is a dark horse among these individuals, and by the movie’s finale, you can’t help but feel a little haunted.
This film’s action is unquestionably its main attraction, and several of the supporting cast members do more than just serve as props in our heroes’ battle scenes. Lau Chee Hong performs the ferocious battle scenes in the movie and also serves as a co-star.
Pang, one of the best actors I’ve ever seen, excels in this film in every way that matters. The story of the movie depends on how Zhang is portrayed since we see him go from a terrifying dead-end career as a telephone marketer for an insurance business to a sort of recharged “new man” when Kill-Fist consumes him. In a way, David Fincher would be his own Tyler Durden if he were directing this, and the third act has a threatening flair that speaks highly of his acting in line with his martial arts prowess.
The same is true of Yun, who plays the part of John and does not possess the same level of screen fighting prowess as Pang while also not being required to. Along with other characters, such as actor Pearly Chua playing Zhang’s aunt Mrs. Choy, the choreography, screenplay, and cinematography all contribute to making the character work amid the action that penetrates and enhances the roiling drama.
Depending on your preferences, you may or may not find the action-packed finale to fall short of the kind of expansive gangbuster seen in other movies. By the conclusion, the main thing you’re left with is a moral story that functions more as a metaphor for other issues, such as injustice, inequality, and the cyclical cycle of violence.
One can only hope that Kill-Fist will give Lee the immortality he merits as it continues to screen at film festivals. According to what I’ve heard, Malaysia’s film industry is resistant to supporting smaller feature films like Kill-Fist, which had a tight budget and was shot in just thirteen days. And it’s a concern, especially as the industry as a whole continues to deal with a worldwide market that is changing to a modern identity and posing more difficulties for filmmakers, even if one ignores the battle against piracy.
For what it’s worth, the good news is that with Kill-Fist, Lee not only has Pang as the star of his cast but is also able to overcome these obstacles when and when he can to complete his artistic vision. Pang has increased his output as a result of the cult success of Headshot and The Night Comes For Us, and it helps that a broad audience of specialized admirers supports his work.
While we patiently wait with bated breath to see what happens with Gavin Lim’s own Pang-led thriller, Diamond Dogs, we can only hope that same affection will eventually extend to Kill-Fist. Another element is the fact that Pang and Zahir Omar’s Fly By Night, his directorial debut, continues to receive favourable reviews from critics like myself. Pang is a significant character, one that Lee has demonstrated he can handle with vigour in Kill-Fist, a psychological thriller that manages to stand on its own via sheer intensity.
Kill-Fist, which is directed by James Lee and also stars Alan Yun and Koe Yeet, makes its Netflix debut on August 31.
Where to Watch Kill-Fist (2022)?
Kill-Fist (2022) will be premiering on Netflix on August 31, 2022. We do not recommend illegal streaming and always suggest paying for the content you like to watch.
Is Kill-Fist (2022) available on Amazon Prime?
Amazon prime will not be streaming Kill-Fist (2022). Additionally, several other films are streaming on Prime. Our recommendations are The Voyagers, It’s a Wonderful Life, Notting Hill, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Is Kill-Fist (2022) available on HBO Max?
HBO Max will not be streaming Kill-Fist (2022). However, HBO’s subscribers can enjoy its other popular streams like Euphoria, When Harry Met Sally and Promising Young Woman.
Is Kill-Fist (2022) available on Hulu?
Kill-Fist (2022) is not available on Hulu. The new release line-up additionally includes Pam and Tommy, How I Met Your Father, Abbott Elementary, and Vikings.
Is Kill-Fist (2022) available on Netflix?
Kill-Fist (2022) will be available to stream on Netflix. However, other brilliant shows like The Power of The Dog, The Social Network, Tick, Tick, Boom, and much more are available.