Entrapment is arguably the most famous Hollywood production ever to be filmed in Malaysia.
The plot is simple yet relatively entertaining. When a priceless Rembrandt is stolen in New York, the evidence points to Robert 'Mac' MacDougal (Sean Connery), a solitary master thief, who is about to meet Virginia 'Gin" Baker (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the insurance company's most cunning - and seductive - investigator. Following a nerve-racking game of cat and mouse, the two join forces, or so it seems, to attempt a daring multi-billion-dollar heist tied to the dawn of the new millennium.
Entrapment takes you to popular Malaysian hotspots such as the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and old quarters of Melaka, about 125km from Kuala Lumpur. However, in a scene that angered Malaysia's government officials, the producers of Entrapment managed to generate controversy by blending the above-mentioned locations into one. With the (at that time) dilapidated banks of the Melaka River serving as the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, and the luxurious and brightly lit Petronas Twin Towers as a backdrop, they inadvertently created a scene of high contrast between rich and poor that was anything but appreciated by local authorities.
The final scenes, a good 9 minutes worth, were shot in a more modest location near Malaysia's national stadium, the Bukit Jalil LRT (Light Rail Train) station. Here another, subtler change was applied: in the movie this station was renamed after the smaller Pudu station, some 7 stations further down the line towards Kuala Lumpur. The reason behind the change is unclear, though rumour has it that Pudu was the only station Sean Connery could pronounce correctly.
Credits
Entrapment © 1999 Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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