Apprentice 2017

In this intense, character-driven drama set within a maximum-security facility, a newly transferred prison officer, Sergeant Aiman Yusof, is reassigned to Larangan Prison and placed in the workshop where rehabilitating inmates are given a chance to learn trades. Because of his vocational education background, he becomes the watchful observer and mentor to those who are rebuilding their lives behind bars, and he soon forms a quiet, almost mentor-like bond with Rahim, the prison’s seasoned Chief Executioner.

At home, Aiman’s life becomes complicated. He shares the strange, unsettling encounter with the hangman with his older sister Suhaila, a disclosure that strains their relationship. The siblings’ history is heavy: their father, Yusof Ibrahim, was sentenced to death thirty years earlier for murder, a fact that colored their upbringing under their grandfather Ibrahim Fazril. This family past informs a rift over Suhaila’s relationship with John, an Australian expat, and underscores Aiman’s growing unease with how work and personal history collide.

Within the prison, Joseph, Rahim’s former assistant, reveals he has stepped down because he could not bring himself to pull the lever during an execution. This admission clears a path for Aiman to become Rahim’s new apprentice, and their dynamic evolves into a steady, if unconventional, mentorship. As their trust deepens, Suhaila’s engagement to John arrives, and Aiman’s reaction is mixed at best. In a moment of spite, he tells Suhaila that he is now the hangman’s assistant, intensifying the family tension while silently confirming his commitment to the work.

Rahim passes on to Aiman the practical skills and hard-earned wisdom of the trade, and the two men cultivate a bond forged in shared duty and ethical debate. This is not a straightforward apprenticeship; it is a test of conscience as Aiman begins to understand what the execution process entails, the rituals around it, and the heavy responsibility it places on those who perform it.

The first-hand encounter with death marks a pivotal turning point. Aiman escorts a death-row inmate named Randy to the gallows, and Rahim offers the inmate words of solace before the moment of execution. The experience leaves Aiman shaken and restless; he attempts to call Suhaila, but the line is dead. Rushing home, he finds the house empty, and learns that Suhaila has presumably left for Australia with John, amplifying his sense of isolation.

Rahim’s own vulnerabilities surface when he reviews Aiman’s security clearance and discovers that Aiman’s father had been executed. Rahim notes that such a past should have disqualified him from the role, and a dispute erupts as Aiman argues that his father’s history should not dictate who he is or how others perceive him. Rahim accuses him of naivety, while Aiman pushes back against judgment and questions the ethics of executing criminals, all while recognizing the paradox of showing compassion in the act of delivering a swift death. The argument ends with a warning: disciplinary action could be imminent, and Aiman seems prepared to face the consequences for speaking out of turn.

As Rahim suffers a road accident and remains in critical condition, Assistant Superintendent James Tan assigns Aiman to lead an upcoming execution. This shift suggests a possible turning point in Aiman’s career, as the department signals that his future may depend on how he handles the next assignment. Morning arrives with a tense exchange as Suhaila calls to confirm whether Aiman will be charged for his actions, and she reassures him with a steady, supportive line:

maybe not

With Rahim hospitalized and the clock ticking, the day of the execution looms. Aiman leads the condemned inmate toward the gallows, places the noose around the prisoner’s neck, and grips the lever that activates the trap doors. The moment arrives, but as Aiman’s hands hover over the controls, the screen fades to black, leaving the outcome—and perhaps the consequence of his choices—unseen.

This story stays grounded in its moral questions: duty versus humanity, the weight of family history, and the price of anonymity in a system that must decide who lives and who dies. It builds a careful portrait of Aiman’s internal struggle as he moves from newcomer to apprentice, from skeptic to cautious participant, and ultimately toward an ending that invites reflection on justice, compassion, and the quiet, irreversible finality of the execution chamber.