Night shift: blood and iron | Film-Rezionen.de

“Night Shift: Blood and Iron” // Start of Germany: March 29, 2021 (ZDF)

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By Kevin Kruse (Aurel Manthei) currently nothing is running. The chef has been looking for a new job for a long time, but without success. After all, who hires someone who has as many criminal records as him? He urgently needs work and money, after all, his wife Mabel (Marleen Lohse) heavily pregnant. And so the person from the right environment records a threatening video: If he gets a rejection at his new interview, he uses his weapon. Mübariz Pettekaya (Kais Setti), who runs a small burger shop and is looking for a new chef, learns about the video and gives Kevin the job – but only for pretense. At the same time, Chief Inspector Erich Bo Erichsen (Armin Rohde) and his two new colleagues Lulu Koulibaly (Sabrina Ceesay) and Commissioner Tülay Yildirim (Idil Uner) the investigation. These are not easy. After all, the election campaign and right-wing politician Roland Herzog (Bernhard Schir) are given great opportunities to move into the state parliament. It is important to be particularly careful …

Everyday consideration vs. evening tension

A question that keeps dividing German audiences: should crime thrillers depict reality or should they simply entertain? The reactions are very different. Some are happy when the countless murder stories that are shown on local TVs every week at least try to make a statement. Others are annoyed by it and accuse the public services of wanting to raise them like small children instead of simply allowing them to relax. Dealing with the right-wing scene, in particular, has repeatedly led to heated discussions in this regard. No wonder, no social topic is incorporated anywhere more often. So there was this year Chase and Perfect world two parts of the crime scene, which are about right-wing violence and rumbling populists.

At Night shift: blood and iron do these also occur when right-wing brutalos rush against Turks or anyone who just looks different in some way. But the 17th part of the ZDFCrime series gets by without a raised index finger or morally acidic sermons. Rather, both sides are simply let loose on each other. Right-wing thugs and detoners meet people with a migration background who willingly take up the fight. This can also be of a physical nature. The film shows a Germany in which everyone somehow carries a weapon – mostly without a permit. Above all, however, people hit each other verbally. Nobody minces their mouths.

The crisis as a running gag

But masks. Night shift: blood and iron was filmed in 2020 when the corona pandemic was already turning numerous cinema and television productions upside down. While most try to hide these circumstances, the topic is dealt with very openly, almost aggressively. And also sets here Lars Becker (The good cop: Only the dead don’t talk, truth or lie), who has directed and written the script for all parts since the debut in 2003, had a good dose of humor. The constant drama about masks, minimum distance and hand hygiene becomes a running gag to which everyone has to submit: police and criminals, rights and alleged foreigners.

In general, with all the contrasts that such a topic inevitably brings with it, people like to mix them vigorously. Even if there are basically three camps in the film – the police, the foreigners and the right wing – new alliances are constantly being formed and old ones broken. There is a constant change of approach and distance, sometimes voluntarily, often less. Above all, the police station, which, due to the construction, does not have to be placed in a narrow container in conformity with the coronavirus, becomes a collection point for the most incredible people. The fast-paced story, which once again takes place in just one night, is done together with a dazzling ensemble Night shift: blood and iron great fun. Sometimes chaotic, then forgiving, somehow stupid and yet clever, there is nothing for puzzle fans to do here. In return, the film actually succeeds in finding the balance between social relevance and pure entertainment, which is why, for once, both crime groups really get their money’s worth.

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