The second case of the new-installed "tatort"-law-enforcement-unit Lannert (Richy Müller) and Bootz (Felix Klare) in the German city of Stuttgart opens up with a shoot-out in a hotel-suite, pretty-well filmed because the viewer can't see it directly. What exactly happens behind the half-open door, who shoots who, how often and why? Even screams and shots are heard only low through the -once more- atmospheric score. It's great that a modern TV-thriller gets based on one of the most oldfashioned (or classical) questions in crime: "What happened in that hotel-room?" and still derives tension from that as here. Already in the IMDb-comment for the new Stuttgarter's first case "Hart an der Grenze" I cheered for the successful crossover between traditional- and tomorrow's detective-storytelling, the new Shwabish-"tatorte" accomplish.
First, everything at the crimescene implies a messed-up police-raid against a member of organised crime from elsewhere and his local contacts, all of them KIA. Then the hints aim more towards corruption or unlawful benefiting within the police. In the climax the case then takes another turn. It could hereby be criticized that the audience couldn't predict or see that before the investigators. But "tatort" ain't "Hercule Poirot" (chapeau!) and not meant to guess along, but is meant to reflect reality were investigators are also often confronted with unexpected twists.
The pity of police work against colleagues comes to light when Bootz stresses Lannert his ethical boundaries about investigating against one suspect who is also Bootz' friend in and off-duty: I will not enter his flat as a cop. I won't do that!" The only unclear question in this episode is why in such a constellation no one from IA (german: "Dienstaufsicht") shows up, but the regular cops have to proceed. But maybe it's truly different than from for instance the US. Or maybe it's because the anyway close cooperation between Lannert, Bootz and DA Emilia Álvarez (Caroline Vera-Squella).
The two cops, their CSI-assistant (german: KTU) Nika Banovic (Miranda Leonhardt) and the DA start to lower their moderate antipathy from the first episode, increase their cooperation and systematically reconstruct the shoot-out; while cooking dinner together. A nice move to introduce an upcoming sense of partnership. A taperecording from the crimescene -surprisingly one of the cops was cabled- reveals a ringing cellphone and a very low suspicious whisper which lets even the viewer hold his breath to catch it's content. The easiest tricks are the best to create tension.
Also private background is more and more revealed, such as Lannert's first visit at Bootz flat, meeting his wife, raising glasses or an apparently pointless romance between Lannert and his neighbor; power failures can still be romantic on TV; is the Stuttgart municipal-power-agency really that lousy? Two total-collapses in three days?! Anyway it was romantic...
Furthermore the mysterious bullet (see comment for Hart an der Grenze") is back and Lannert rolls it through his fingers looking off-guard. His face shows that the case reminds him of his own blown operation in Hamburg which took him -and the bullet- here.
All in all, the Stuttgarter team and the filming-crew behind them have delivered a very solid and entertaining tatort" here which makes you come and beg for more. Good script, good actors, camera, editing, directing and excellent dialogues continue!
First, everything at the crimescene implies a messed-up police-raid against a member of organised crime from elsewhere and his local contacts, all of them KIA. Then the hints aim more towards corruption or unlawful benefiting within the police. In the climax the case then takes another turn. It could hereby be criticized that the audience couldn't predict or see that before the investigators. But "tatort" ain't "Hercule Poirot" (chapeau!) and not meant to guess along, but is meant to reflect reality were investigators are also often confronted with unexpected twists.
The pity of police work against colleagues comes to light when Bootz stresses Lannert his ethical boundaries about investigating against one suspect who is also Bootz' friend in and off-duty: I will not enter his flat as a cop. I won't do that!" The only unclear question in this episode is why in such a constellation no one from IA (german: "Dienstaufsicht") shows up, but the regular cops have to proceed. But maybe it's truly different than from for instance the US. Or maybe it's because the anyway close cooperation between Lannert, Bootz and DA Emilia Álvarez (Caroline Vera-Squella).
The two cops, their CSI-assistant (german: KTU) Nika Banovic (Miranda Leonhardt) and the DA start to lower their moderate antipathy from the first episode, increase their cooperation and systematically reconstruct the shoot-out; while cooking dinner together. A nice move to introduce an upcoming sense of partnership. A taperecording from the crimescene -surprisingly one of the cops was cabled- reveals a ringing cellphone and a very low suspicious whisper which lets even the viewer hold his breath to catch it's content. The easiest tricks are the best to create tension.
Also private background is more and more revealed, such as Lannert's first visit at Bootz flat, meeting his wife, raising glasses or an apparently pointless romance between Lannert and his neighbor; power failures can still be romantic on TV; is the Stuttgart municipal-power-agency really that lousy? Two total-collapses in three days?! Anyway it was romantic...
Furthermore the mysterious bullet (see comment for Hart an der Grenze") is back and Lannert rolls it through his fingers looking off-guard. His face shows that the case reminds him of his own blown operation in Hamburg which took him -and the bullet- here.
All in all, the Stuttgarter team and the filming-crew behind them have delivered a very solid and entertaining tatort" here which makes you come and beg for more. Good script, good actors, camera, editing, directing and excellent dialogues continue!