The Wasteland Reviewer

Nuremberg (2025) Written Review

What is one of the most important court decisions in the history of the world? The Nuremberg Trials. The allies come together for the first world court to make sure that the remaining members of the Third Reich would answer for their atrocities. The courtroom drama subgenre in film is quite the popular one and a case with such scope and gravity would certainly make for an incredible cinematic experience. That is quite true…and it was indeed true back in 1961 when director Stanley Kramer took the reins and explored the events in Judgment at Nuremberg. But this time, writer/director James Vanderbilt tackles the first and biggest trial taking on one of the Third Reich’s architects, Hermann Goring. Ripped from the pages of Jack El-Hai’s novel “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist”, Nuremberg peaks into the psyche of Goring and the rest of the Nazi regime. 

How does Vanderbilt approach this sensitive and powerful story and the greater events of the Holocaust? There is an interesting and unexpected tone that Vanderbilt walks with Nuremberg. There are certainly quite harrowing moments full of emotion, especially when footage of the concentration camps is shown during the trial. Dariusz Wolski crafts a weighty and grim feel to the film with the greyed-out visuals. The camera movements are engrossing as the camera tracks through the prison and courtroom creating a claustrophobic feel. The camera gets quite intimate with characters which also forces the audience to be confined with them in tense psychological moments. Brian Tyler’s score feels familiar yet effective in crafting emotion and capturing the weight of the film’s events. Vanderbilt does also lean into elements that don’t always hit. The introduction of Rami Malek’s Dr. Douglas Kelley feels more like an adventure hero than a complex man who will go toe-to-toe with some of history’s worst men. There is plenty of humor as well which is unexpected and does feel needed at times to cut the tension. This has a more entertaining vibe than you might expect for a film confronting the horrors of the Holocaust. Some of the characters’ presentations are quite specific to Goring, who is shot to be a larger-than-life character (which he was). 

Does Nuremberg deliver a compelling story? Vanderbilt walks a tightrope of balancing the humanization of the Nazis while trying to show that some of them were complex and compelling figures in history. You can tell Dr. Kelley is quite enamored by the opportunity to learn about these men and write about their minds. Kelley does go on an interesting internal journey from obsessive and eager psychiatrist to someone who wants to warn the world against this evil that permeates all societies. Goring is quite the compelling character as well who is layered, complex, and quite the egomaniac. His presence is felt so much throughout the film as he represents the looming atrocities of the Third Reich. The complex relationship between Kelley and Goring is fascinating and challenging. The film does struggle to keep that balance at times but is mostly successful. The inclusion of Sergeant Howie Triest, a young soldier with quite a past, provides a rich and human heart to this courtroom drama. You also have the courtroom elements of the film that center on Justice Robert Jackson. There is plenty of comic relief in the film in these moments, yet it captures the greater geo-political context of Nuremberg. These are also some of the more fast-paced elements of the film that are quite engaging. This is not the most consistently nuanced telling of these events, but Vanderbilt is able to slide some real inspired moments in there. 

What is the biggest selling point of film? This cast. Russell Crowe is a towering presence, providing one of his best performances in a long time. Goring is a huge presence with plenty of charisma. His ego was enormous. Crowe captures all of that. His stature is all there as Crowe holds himself like he is the most powerful, important, and important individual in any scene. There is a moment with a photo that captures the sheer magnetism of Crowe’s performance. But there are these gears and ploys churning in Crowe’s head throughout the film and he can deliver that perfectly. Rami Malek is quite charismatic as this bold and ambitious psychiatrist as well. The natural spark between him and Crowe is quite palpable. When we see more emotion and insecurity in Kelley, Malek makes the audience buy into those moments. Michael Shannon delivers a strong performance as Justice Jackson that has a good wit as well. But there are some moments of insecurity that shine through, and Shannon delivers believable vulnerabilities. John Slattery and Richard E. Grant each deliver plenty of laughs with their charismatic performances. The biggest surprise though is Leo Woodall as Triest. He has good presence, but he has one scene where he just about steals the whole film away from the rest of this star-studded cast. He is so genuine that he brings a specific humanity to the film. 

Is Nuremberg an effective courtroom drama and historical thriller? Vanderbilt might not deliver the most nuanced or weighty version of this story, but Nuremberg has plenty of impactful moments along the way. When the film gets serious, Vanderbilt delivers on the weight of those moments. The film is surprisingly (and oddly) entertaining as well. Well-made and impressively acted, this is a historical drama worth your time that feels uncomfortably relevant today.