Nuremberg Review
Each generation seems to have its own screen version of The Nuremberg Trials. The cinematic appeal of their inherent drama and revelations is obvious, as is their ability to deliver a stern lesson from the past. In the 60s, Stanley Kramer’s Judgment at Nuremberg was a fictionalised account of the judges’ trial, two years after the centrepiece prosecution of the remains of the Nazi high command. That was turned into a mini series in 2000, and the same hearing returns to cinemas this week in James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg. It comes with a little-known perspective on the story and a reminder that, as the actual events recede further into the distance, each depiction becomes more of a history lesson.
With the War over and evidence of the horrors orchestrated by the Nazis increasingly in the spotlight, their leaders were put on trial by the Allied forces. The first military tribunal put the politicians in the dock, but, with Hitler and members of his inner circle such as Himmler and Goebbels already dead, the focus was very much on Hermann Goring, the flamboyant second in command and the most senior Nazi to be captured. The film methodically takes the audience through the trial, but behind the scenes is the parallel story of the relationship between Goring (Russell Crowe) and psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek). Brought in to determine whether the prisoners are fit to stand trial, he finds himself drawn into a disturbing battle of wits with the imposing leader of the German Air Force.
Based on a book by journalist Jack El-Hai, which was inspired by Kelley’s subsequent account of his meetings with Goring, Nuremberg wears its authenticity like a badge of honour, making it feel like a lesson for those with little or no knowledge of this period of history. And, although its messages need to be delivered with impact, they’re delivered with a heavy hand. Vanderbilt does, however, nod – wisely – in the direction of Kramer’s film by devoting ample time to the blood-chilling footage from the liberation of the concentration camps. The image of a profoundly distressed man being loaded onto a stretcher, his hands clasped together in a combination of prayer and gratitude, smothers everything into shocked silence.
Since the film was announced, the film has gathered attention and momentum in equal measure – and the reason is Russell Crowe. After a spate of roles well beneath his capabilities, he seems to have turned a corner. He still plays to the gallery, but that’s his default position and true to his version of Goring. Away from the witness stand, he mixes charm with steely intelligence, yet any genuine charisma is in short supply, and it’s difficult to understand how Malek’s shrink could become so obsessed with him. They have a shared interest in magic, but that’s clumsily used to demonstrate the uncomfortable ease with which an entire population can be tricked into looking the other way. This isn’t a complete return to form for Crowe. It comes close, but he’s regularly outshone by Michael Shannon’s American prosecutor, a dignified man who fights shy of taking the job because he knows he’ll be out of his depth. Along with the rest of the cast, both actors find themselves battling valiantly against stilted dialogue, which is frequently riddled with risible anachronisms.
Despite everything that Vanderbilt crams into his overlong film, Nuremberg somehow manages to avoid exploring its other story, that of Kelley himself, with any real depth. The captions in the closing moments give us more insight into him than the entire film, leaving us with the sense that we’ve missed out on something intriguingly gripping. Earnest and honourable, the movie takes itself seriously, but it never quite escapes being simply The Russell Crowe Show.
★★ 1/2
In cinemas from November 14th and on Sky Cinema in 2026 / Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall, Richard E Grant, John Slattery / Dir: James Vanderbilt / Sky Original / 12A
About the Author
