Murot und das 1000-jährige Reich connects a present-day investigation with a crime story during the Second World War. The result is an intense Tatort whose historical dimension becomes more than background for a mystery.
Murot expects a wanted war criminal in Frankfurt. The film moves back to 1944, where investigator Rother faces a murder involving a British pilot and sensitive documents. The two periods bring questions of responsibility and unpunished crimes into contact.
Ulrich Tukur differentiates Murot and Rother through small changes in expression and physical behavior. Barbara Philipp also anchors the two worlds emotionally through her roles. The ensemble gives the historical material a disturbing human presence.
M. X. Oberg creates a dark atmosphere around the investigations. Max Preiss's use of light and shadow makes the earlier period oppressive, while the contrast between the settings remains visually clear. The direction is ambitious without losing the tension of the crime story.
For me, the film succeeds in combining suspense with a substantial engagement with the past. Its moral questions linger beyond the solution of a case. Strong performances and the carefully connected periods make this an impressive crime drama, using Tatort's familiar format for something more demanding.