DER PASS / CERT: 18 / CREATORS: CYRILL BOSS, PHILIPP STENNERT / STARRING: JULIA JENTSCH, NICHOLAS OFCZAREK, FRANZ HARTWIG / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
High in the snow-topped Alps, a corpse is discovered straddling the border of Germany and Austria. The body has been deliberately staged and is found clutching hair from a horses’ tail. Two detectives are assigned to the case, the ambitious young German Ellie Stocker (Jentsch), and the dishevelled, world-weary Austrian Gedeon Winter (Ofczarek). Not only are they from two different countries, with one in the twilight of his career and the other commencing hers, but Stocker is a country girl, used to its ways and customs, whilst the city and its violence has taken its toll on Winter.
Winter is only too happy for the Germans to take on the case entirely, but when more crime scenes are discovered following the same modus operandi with more overt pagan trappings, and recordings of the victims final moments are sent to a reporter, Winter takes more of an interest. Winter and Stocker are soon drawn into the dark world of the Celtic wood god Cernunnos, the Green Man, pagan rites and Krampus.
Der Pass is yet another reworking of the hit Scandi-Noir drama The Bridge, but the similarities between the shows are confined to the body being found on the border between two countries. From there Der Pass becomes its own beast. Comprising of eight episodes, the first four delve deeply into pagan lore and how, even in this technological age, pagan customs can still exert a tight hold in rural communities. The second act diverges into a more generic police procedural drama, albeit a well-executed one. It could be viewed that the first act is in fact Ellie’s story, as she was raised in the country, but as the hunt for the killer continues she becomes more jaded.
The second act is Winter’s story. As the case develops he becomes more invested, more resolute, revealing the sort of policeman he once was. He wants to see justice done. It’s a juxtaposition that, while seemingly obvious that both characters would take on each other’s traits, works well. That is down to the excellent performances of Julia Jentsch and Nicholas Ofczarek. There is a tangible chemistry between them, and if this had been an American network show you’d be sure the chemistry would be sexual. Not so here. There is never a hint of any attraction between Stocker and Winter, only a growing mutual respect and admiration.
The cinematography is gorgeous capturing both the stark beauty and harshness of the snow-covered mountain forests, whilst the urban scenes are suitably bleak and drab.
The series has been granted a second season, and as the first ended on a cliffhanger with regards to a characters arc, it will be interesting to see where it will go.
