Content/criticism

As a businesswoman, Anette Viet (Johanna Gastdorf) tough and always shows nerves of steel. She could use that in the current situation. This is how her brother Hagen was murdered, Irina (Patricia Ivanauskas), the wife of her son Oskar (Max Koch), was kidnapped. Jule Zabek (Sophie Pfennigstorf) and Karl Hidde (Alexander Held) from the homicide squad are hardly making any progress in this case, also because the business family is keeping a low profile and telling Irina that she is just on vacation. While she is in fear of death in the cellar, BKA officer Polina Kross (Heike Trinker) into the case. The economic crime expert has had her sights set on the family business for a long time and is close to finally convicting the Viets. She doesn’t like the murder investigation at all, as it could get in the way…

Feel free to exaggerate

As at Stralsund three people got out, it was there ZDF-Crime series faced with the question: How should we replace them? The challenge was particularly great with the popular main character. In order to create as much contrast as possible, they came up with a very idiosyncratic new protagonist who constantly goes on her own. At the start The long shadow It was very annoying, you didn’t feel like seeing the new one anymore. At Dead dreams It was solved a little better, also because the focus was less on her. Now lie with me Cold blood the third appearance of the commissioner. And again we drove back a little. She now fits in much better and you get the feeling that you are dealing with a real team and not a self-realization trip by a socially incompetent egocentric.

She has something else to do instead. So the film builds a dalliance with the chance acquaintance Tom Kahn (Philipp Seidler), which later leads to an overlap between the private and professional parts. Completely coincidental, of course, as is so often the case in German television crime dramas. But the director and screenwriter are all about credibility Petra K. Wagnerwho was already responsible last time, is not. At Stralsund: Cold blood Everything is often exaggerated. There will be references to reality later on if illegal business with Russia is a factor. It’s not without reason that the BKA is moving in. But that doesn’t mean that a realistic film was made. The audience should be entertained, not lectured or informed.

And still tough

Sometimes it works better, sometimes worse. Kidnappings are actually a tried and tested way to give the audience a thrill if they root for the victim. Here, however, you always know how Irina is doing because she is constantly visible. You don’t really get the feeling that she’s in any immediate danger, despite the previous murder. If anything, the tension of Stralsund: Cold blood in that everyone can ask themselves who is behind the kidnapping. However, even that is grossly betrayed when we know that this has to do with some kind of deal with the Russians. An alternative is briefly brought into play. Nevertheless, there is less to puzzle about.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem if the thriller elements were gripping. But if a film doesn’t really convince you in one thing or the other, there’s not much left to watch it for. Most likely, there is the tussle of authority between the homicide commission and the BKA, who investigate for different motives and make life difficult for each other. But that’s not enough. After all, with Johanna Gastdorf, who is in this week Murder with a Chance: Women in Black has already shown talent as a tough criminal Stralsund: Cold blood an actress who is always welcome. But even she can’t prevent the 23rd part of the series, which started in 2009, from being tough again and again.

Credits

OT: “Stralsund: Cold Blood”
Land: Deutschland
Year: 2024
Director: Petra K. Wagner
Script: Petra K. Wagner
Music: Oliver Kranz
Camera: Peter Polsak
Occupation: Sophie Pfennigstorf, Alexander Held, Johanna Gastdorf, Heike Trinker, Tom Keune, Dmitri Frid, Patricia Ivanauskas, Max Koch, Janusz Cichocki, Philipp Seidler

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