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“Nuremberg” offers a slick, satisfying look at critical trials following the Third Reich’s demise.
Until it doesn’t.
Buried in the middle of this well-packaged drama is shocking footage of the Holocaust’s atrocities. What might seem tonally imbalanced is actually a perfectly deployed smart bomb.
It’s vital to the story in play, while reminding anyone cold enough to compare President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler that they should be ashamed of themselves.
Yes, writer/director James Vanderbilt’s film is shrewdly assembled and brimming with snappy dialogue. The “why” behind the film, and its vital importance at the end of 2025, comes through with those visuals.
Never forget, it all but screams. And, in many ways, too many global citizens have. It renders “Nuremberg” a first-class film and cultural necessity.
The second World War is finally over.
Now, the battered Allies must wrestle with the remnants of the Nazi regime. International law isn’t clear on how to process the monsters who oversaw the murder of six million Jews.
Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon) understands something must be done, and if the guilty parties must hang by their necks, it should be done after a public trial.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government tasks a headstrong psychiatrist Jack Kelley (Rami Malek) to interview Germany’s remaining officials.
Are they psychologically fit for trial? What led seemingly sane souls to endorse such an inhumane war? And could they reveal critical information that can be weaponized on the witness stand?
For Jack, the assignment could lead to a book deal that makes him more than a footnote to history. But first, he’ll have to match wits with Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), the highest-ranking Nazi left standing.
Few stars could rally the charisma and cunning needed to capture the evil within the regime’s second in command like Crowe.
A duel of wits ensues, with Jack trying to connect with the brash leader and Hermann seizing on any kindness offered his way. Malek and Crowe crackle together, but reality suggests their paths will diverge in ways that aren’t tailor-made for drama.
For that, we turn to Jackson, now the chief prosecutor seeking to expose Göring and co. for all to see.
“Nuremberg” is nothing if not efficient, ladling out key historical facts between smartly choreographed sequences. One minute, we’re left agog at some of the atrocities Team Hitler set in motion. The next? Jack is finding the human side of a monster, particularly while meeting Göring’s wife and daughter.
Vanderbilt, whose career includes writing the revelatory “Zodiac” and directing the insufferable “Truth,” balances a heady amount of storylines and historical nuggets with ease. He’s also partial to old-fashioned Hollywood storytelling.
That includes a heaping helping of humor, which may surprise some viewers. So will the spiffy banter and, to a lesser extent, the polished period trappings.
Malek delivers in ways that remind us of his Best Actor Oscar win for “Bohemian Rhapsody.” His shrink is headstrong and wise, then churlish and naive. Even better? Malek refuses to camouflage his flaws.
And they are plentiful.
“Nuremberg” also brims with memorable supporting turns, from Jack’s fascinating translator (Leo Woodall) to Richard E. Grant as a critical British lawyer.
It all adds up to a rousing experience, one filled with big ideas but no finger wagging. The drama brings history to life in ways that are both accessible and bold. “Nuremberg” also should make it harder to forget what too many are oh, so eager to memory hole.
HiT or Miss: Russell Crowe’s towering performance makes “Nuremberg” a must-see in this crowded Oscar season.
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