Watch Midnight Cop

Midnight Cop, a 1988 film directed by Peter Patzak, brings a story about a detective who finds himself in a dangerous game with the wrong people. The movie stars Armin Mueller-Stahl as Alex Kemper, a detective whose partner gets killed a few days before his retirement, leaving him feeling guilty and lost. As the story unfolds, Kemper starts to investigate the case, but at every corner, he finds himself dealing with troubling situations. He is forced to play the game by the bad guys' rules, doing whatever it takes to survive.

The plot advances as the team of criminals led by Matthias Schwarz (played by Kai Wulff) threatens to harm Kemper's former partner's wife, Lillian Hansen (portrayed by Morgan Fairchild). Kemper must do whatever he can to protect her while also trying to solve the case.

Meanwhile, Kemper's superior Officer Kröger (Ernst Schröder) thinks that he is not a reliable detective anymore since his partner's murder. This makes Kemper feel even more alone and determined to catch the criminals, as his only motivation is to retrieve justice for his late partner.

Amidst this scary situation, Kemper also meets Rachel (Christine Kaufmann), a journalist who wants to know more about the case. Kemper finds himself attracted to her, but he also knows she could be a pawn in the criminals' community, so he tries to keep her safe while maintaining a professional relationship.

The movie also showcases a musical performance by Frank Stallone, who plays the character of Ray, a friend of Kemper. Stallone's music adds a unique element to the film, contributing to the overall vibe of the story.

One of the most engaging features of Midnight Cop is its setting in Berlin. The movie gives a glimpse of the city during the Cold War period, with its distinct culture and its people dealing with the consequences of the divided city. The film captures the ambience of the city well and uses the location as an additional character to the movie.

Overall, Midnight Cop presents an intelligent and suspenseful thriller that keeps the viewer engaged throughout the entire film. With dim lighting and foreboding music, the movie's visual and auditory elements intensify the story's menace, evoking the necessary emotion and excitement from the audience.

The film also succeeds in featuring a considerable performance from its lead star, Armin Mueller-Stahl. As Kemper, Mueller-Stahl portrays a character caught in the conflict of his emotions, straddling the line between justice and his guilt. His performance is nuanced and captivating, making Midnight Cop an engaging watch.

Despite having dated visuals and cinematography, Midnight Cop still holds up as a proficient film in the action-thriller genre. With a gripping storyline and impressive performances from its cast, the movie will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the genre, especially those who appreciate the Cold War Berlin context.

Midnight Cop is a 1988 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.2.