By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"NUREMBERG" EXPLORES THE MINDS BEHIND THE MONSTERS
I sure hope the riveting new historical drama,
"Nuremberg," from director
James Vanderbilt ("Scream VI," "Scream 7") and screenwriter
Jack El-Hai ("Severing the Soul") doesn't get lost in the shuffle during this upcoming awards season. It deserves to be seen, discussed, and awarded for its dynamic storytelling and incredible performances all around, most notably from
Russell Crowe ("Kraven the Hunter") and Oscar winner
Rami Malek ("The Amateur").
While there have been several movies, made-for-TV series, and documentaries about the Nuremberg Trials such as "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961), "Nuremberg" (2000), "Nuremberg: Tyranny on Trial" (2006), and "Nuremberg: The Nazi Trials" (2023), this film brings kind of a fresh perspective by zeroing in on holding the remaining Nazi high command accountable after World War II, particularly Adolf Hitler's most loyal second-in-command,
Hermann Wilhelm Goering (Crowe).
Goering is portrayed as a brute of a man with an ego to match, making him both terrifying and magnetically compelling on screen.
Crowe devours the role with the kind of intensity that makes every scene he's in feel electric, but it's his chemistry with Malek, who plays U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelly, which elevates the film. Kelly is tasked with evaluating the Nazi leaders' emotional fitness to stand trial. Initially, he relishes the role and the attention, imagining he could even write a book to cement his place in history. Yet he soon discovers that Goering is far more calculating and manipulative than he ever anticipated.
To get the truth, Kelly uses personal stories, magic tricks, and psychological insight to connect with Goering. It is a sly cat-and-mouse dynamic.
The film also showcases the archival footage of Hitler's atrocities in Nazi concentration camps. While this material has been seen many times before, Vanderbilt presents it with such stark honesty that it remains jarring and haunting as it emphasizes the stakes of the trials, the enduring weight of the horrors committed, and the sheer evil the world is grappling with.
Beyond Crowe and Malek, "Nuremberg's" outstanding ensemble cast includes Richard E. Grant ("The Thursday Murder Club"). He delivers a measured, sharp performance as British lawyer Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, while John Slattery (TV's "Harley Quinn") brings gravitas as Col. Burton C. Andrus, the chief of Nuremberg Prison. Colin Hanks ("Nobody 2") plays Dr. Gustav Gilbert, a fellow psychiatrist whose presence challenges Dr. Kelly's conclusions. Leo Woodall ("Turner") also shines as a German-speaking U.S. officer hiding a dark secret.
Vanderbilt's stellar direction ensures that "Nuremberg," which runs about two and a half hours, never drags. You become deeply invested in each character. The movie doesn't play it safe and offers some surprising twists.
The film's meticulous attention to psychological detail and its themes of accountability, moral responsibility, and the consequences of unchecked power--extremism and authoritarianism--feel urgent and resonate even today.
What makes "Nuremberg" particularly compelling is how it balances historical gravity with human complexity. It's not merely a retelling of history but an intimate exploration of the minds involved--prosecutors and perpetrators alike.
"Nuremberg" is a film that honors history without feeling like a stodgy, old textbook. The moral and ethical questions it raises are worthy of consideration long after the credits roll.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"NUREMBERG"
