Audiences can prepare for a cinematic experience of glamour, intrigue and elegance with the upcoming Malaysian spy thriller Killmaster.
Filmed on the island of Ibiza, Spain, the film follows the journey of Alex Wong, a secret agent codenamed “Killmaster” and renowned for his precision in eliminating global threats, in his latest mission that takes him from Asia to Europe, culminating in a confrontation with powerful terrorist leaders on Spanish soil.
Inspired by the golden era of cinema, Killmaster seeks to recapture the allure of the late Roger Moore-era James Bond films and the graceful sophistication of classics such as To Catch a Thief.
Directed, written, produced by and starring Julian Cheah as Alex, the film also boasts the foreign talent from Chile’s Monica de Caro, who stars as Catalina Rodriguez.
According to Rodriguez, who also has a couple of action sequences in Killmaster, it was her first time performing in an spy action film and her character was created, styled and costumed based on Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider franchise.
“Killmaster was not my first time in a Malaysian production. I previously worked with RTM, but I really enjoyed working on Cheah’s film because this type of film was something I had always wanted to do,” she explained.
For her action sequences, Rodriguez claimed that it took her roughly two weeks to rehearse for the choreography and stunts. She showered praises on Killmaster’s locally-produced stunt coordinators and stuntmen for being very courteous and professional in coaching her.
Adding further depth to the cinematic experience, the music score pays homage to the legendary John Barry, whose compositions defined the Bond films of the 1960s and 1970s.
During the film’s media preview at Suria KLCC on Sept 19, Cheah told theSun that Ibiza was chosen as a filming location and as a central part of Killmaster’s story due to how it was picturesque, a popular tourist destination and the location for other films.
“When I looked up Ibiza on the internet, I saw it was very beautiful and the whole point of me doing this film is to bring glamour because Killmaster is not an action film”.
Approaching the film, glamour was what Cheah prioritised. He also admitted that he is well aware that his action filmmaking is not on the level of the Yusof brothers and stressed that his - and Killmaster’s - selling point is glamour.
“I did not want to make a gritty film. If you go on Netflix, most of the films are gritty. I wanted to do something different by bringing back the glamour as seen in the Bond movies from the late 70s and early 80s,” he said.
With its blend of exotic locations, refined fashion, evocative music and mild action sequences, Killmaster promises to delight both longtime fans of classic spy films and new audiences seeking an elegant, visually captivating escape.
