We haven’t seen anything like it at our cinemas.
Syamsul Yusof’s film Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan charted new territories with its earnings at the box office and, at the same time, smashed to smithereens the belief that a Malaysian movie can’t be a blockbuster.
The film about a real-life Malay warrior earned RM97mil after screening at cinemas across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei for 50 days.
Despite major Hollywood releases at cinemas during that time, Mat Kilau refused to budge from the No.1 position for weeks in Malaysia.
At the height of its success back in June, Syamsul proudly shared on Instagram: “Mat Kilau beat Top Gun: Maverick and Jurassic World (Dominion) at the box office. Amazing.”
It was reported that Mat Kilau, starring Datuk Adi Putra, also sparked a renewed interest in the Malay martial arts silat with parents enrolling their children for lessons.
Similarly, another film starring Adi made an impact with its collection at the box office.
Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa – which pays tribute to the brave men and women of Royal Malaysian Air Force – earned RM31mil from screenings in Malaysia and Singapore.
The movie has explosive action sequences and also tense moments as soldiers and civilians try to make their way to safety after their plane crashes in a war-torn country.
Entering the top three list of big earners is the December release, Mechamato Movie.
The animated feature from the studio Monsta has already earned RM27mil in 18 days with screenings across Malaysia and Brunei.
Boasting innovative designs, gorgeous animation and great friendship storyline, it is little wonder why Mechamato Movie is a hit with the viewers, young and old.
Besides the two action films and the animated film, the comedy genre also ruled at the Malaysian box office thanks to Abang Long Fadil 3.
The Zizan Razak-starrer proved its popularity with local audiences by earning RM25mil.
Besides big laughs, the film from Syafiq Yusof also features big action pieces from Maya Karin and Elizabeth Tan.
Meanwhile, horror flick Talbis Iblis from award-winning director Kabir Bhatia sits pretty at No.5 with a collection of RM4.6mil from screenings in Malaysia and Singapore.
At No.6 is The Assistant directed by Adrian Teh. Its cumulative gross box office stands at RM3.6mil.
What makes this film special is the idea presented by Teh in regards to one’s perception, and also the intricate details he’s included in all of the fight sequences.
Praises aren’t complete if we don’t mention the outstanding performances from Hairul Azreen and Iedil Dzuhrie Alaudin in this psychological thriller.
Four more top earners of 2022 are:
Remp-It 2, starring Farid Kamil, who also directed it.
Rasuk from director James Lee, featuring Alif Satar, Ikmal Amry and Abbas Mahmood.
Jerangkung Dalam Almari, a horror flick featuring Datuk Adi Putra, centring on a family haunted by its past and, erm, a supernatural being in a closet.
Ada Hantu 2, the follow-up movie from Hairul Azreen, who made his directorial debut with 2021's Ada Hantu and directed the sequel as well.
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