“Tatort” from Kiel
Forget Münster: This Borowski crime thriller makes you laugh
“Crime Scene: Borowski and the Revenant”: Klaus Borowski (Axel Milberg) and Mila Sahin (Almila Bagriacik) pay a visit to the suspect Greta (Cordeliawege).
© NDR/Thorsten Jander
In his penultimate “crime scene” Axel Milberg alias Inspector Borowski is allowed to turn up the heat: “Borowski and the Revenant” from Kiel is out of the ordinary and entertains with excitement and humor.
- 5 out of 5 points
- Playfully told crime story about the power relations in a rich family that steps out of line and doesn’t take itself too seriously
What’s the matter?
The entrepreneur’s daughter Greta Exner (Cordeliawege) has been cheating on her husband Tobias (Pétur Óskar) for a long time. Since he is financially dependent on her, the two remain trapped in a passive-aggressive power game. Tobias plans to murder his wife with an anonymous internet acquaintance in order to finally be rich and free. He already has a plan to make her disappear. But before Tobias Exner can implement his plan, he himself disappears without a trace. All lines of investigation lead Klaus Borowski (Axel Milberg) and Mila Sahin (Almila Bagriacik) about the mysterious dating contact.
Why is “Crime Scene: Borowski and the Revenant” worth it?
Because this crime thriller dares to step out of line: Instead of a murder, there is just a disappearance, and the viewers only see the “crime scene” detectives themselves after a good 18 minutes. The crime thriller works with flashbacks to witness interviews filmed in black and white, in which the events are commented on in an unusually cynical way.
Greta’s parents and their Swiss assistants satirize the family’s decadent life and exaggerate their lack of morals. The focus of their concern is not the son-in-law, but the multi-million dollar company – against which Tobias bet on the stock market before his disappearance. “Who’s supposed to murder this pipe?” Greta’s father Konstantin (Greg Stosch) asks, or he explains to Inspector Sahin that everything must be just a “fuck,” a big hoax. Almost every one of them has a motive.
In short: “Borowski and the Revenant” entertains and causes laughs in a way that “Tatort” from Münster hasn’t done for a long time.
What bothers?
Because this “crime scene” is so fun, it’s particularly sad to know that Axel Milberg is leaving the crime series after more than 20 years. There will be another crime thriller with him as Borowski, this is planned for 2025. The only bright spot: Borowski’s colleague Mila Sahin (Almila Bagriacik) will remain with viewers and will be the focus of the Kiel “crime scene” from 2026.
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The commissioners?
They clearly have fun turning things up a bit: Borowski is allowed to shoot down a press drone in the suspect’s garden with his service weapon in cowboy style, while Sahin tells jokes around the fireplace of the noble Exner family. During the interrogation, the two pass balls to each other with dry comments. Borowski also becomes private and gets involved in a supposed flirtation with Greta.
Turn on or off?
Turn on! Don’t be put off by the seemingly contrived party scene at the beginning of the film. Anyone who gets involved will have a lot of fun at this “crime scene” from Kiel.