Ah Boys to Men 4

In March 2017, a teaser poster posted on the official Ah Boys To Men Facebook page, hinting that the film would be “moving out soon”. It was later confirmed by Neo, who was in the midst of writing the script, envisioning it to be one centred on reservist training and the Singapore Armed Forces’ Armoured Formation unit.[2] Neo had also carried out research by visiting military bases.[3]

Neo confirmed that Joshua Tan, Tosh Zhang, Wang Weiliang and Maxi Lim would return to star in the movie. He had also confirmed that Noah Yap would also be returning, after being jailed for 9 months for cannabis consumption and serving his National Service.[2] Meanwhile, auditions were held for newer cast members.

Apple Chan was cast as a female officer, after Neo noted that many soldiers in the armour units were women. She had experience in mixed-martial arts, and had to undergo the same four-day armour orientation course as her male cast members.[3]

In order to prepare for his role, Joshua Tan had to put on 30 kg within six months.[4]

Filming started in June 2017, and ended on September. Much of it took place at Sungei Gedong Camp and Dover Road, the latter in which the HDB blocks were empty due to redevelopment. One certain scene, which depicted a search-and-destroy mission against an unnamed invader, involved tons of rubber, mostly made of prop foam, and cost $270,000 to shoot. Leopard 2SG and Bionix II armoured fighting vehicles operated by Singapore Armed Forces members were used for the filming.[5]

The official theme song of Ah Boys to Men 4, titled "Frontline Soldiers", was shot by Lincoln Lin and written, composed by Shigga Shay, a YouTube personality. An official music video was uploaded on YouTube on October 20, 2017.

The OST of Ah Boys to Men 4, titled "The Boys Are Back", was written, composed and performed by Tosh Zhang, a YouTube personality who is part of the cast in the film. An official music video was uploaded on YouTube on November 11, 2017.

The second OST titled "Spend My Lifetime With You" performed by Amber Davis.[6] An official music video was uploaded on Youtube on November 21, 2017.

John Lui of The Straits Times rated the film a 2.5 out of 5 stars, citing the usual "banter, brotherhood and bravery", despite "the absence of anything that resembles long-form storytelling", viewing it as "a series of loosely connected skits".[7]

Gabriel Chong of MovieXclusive.com rated the film a 3 out of 5 stars, as it resonated well with "anyone and everyone who has gone through NS" and related to the "evolution of the NS experience through the years". However, "the sequel is only a continuation from the earlier films in the loosest sense of the word", and although the characters remained the same, their vocations "have been entirely switched out".[1]

Low Kay Hwa in his website Goody Feed rated it a 4 out of 5 stars "as an NSman to another NSman" but a 3 out of 5 stars to "a person who's just there for a laugh". He felt that the Neo "showed how NSmen like us have to compromise our work commitments due to our NS commitments, and how others who won't need to serve can commit more to their work." Meanwhile, it displayed the "authenticity of the ICT culture", "from the 'first-thing-to-do-in-ICT-is-canteen-break' to the bochup-ness of NSmen." Furthermore, the film "is all about the laughs, and while there were some good ones, there isn't a memorable one in this movie."[8]

Melanis Tai of The New Paper rated it a 2.5 out of 5 stars, as "the plot is choppy and the jokes lose out to the last three films".[9]

The film earned $310,000 on its opening day, which is about 30 percent more than the first film in the series, Ah Boys to Men.[10] Within four days, it crossed the $2 million mark.[11]