In 1949, about 4 years following the end of World War II, the nations of United States, Russia and Great Britain are allied in bringing justice for Germany’s war crimes against humanity. Called a tribunal, it was set up as a legal body with established judges from the three countries. The court of law is to prosecute individuals for serious international crimes like genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The trial that includes most all of the remaining leaders of the German government and military begins in Nuremberg, Germany for November 20, 1945. At that time the leaders of the three allied governments are President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin.
The film Nuremberg takes you into the inner workings of the pretrial and trial by the American and British lawyers that would present the evidence of the crimes against the Nazi Party leadership. Those on trial included 2nd in command Hermann Goring (Russell Crowe) the predecessor to Hitler and the highest living military commandant at the end of the war. The prosecutors are Douglas Kelly (Rami Malek), Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon) and British Lawyer Sir David Maxwell-Fye (Richard E. Grant). Throughout the grueling days of questioning up to the final trial, the three dig deep into the atrocities and Goring’s influence and knowledge of them right up to the surrender.
Leading the pack of this excellent cast choice are Remi Malek as the determined prosecutor that uses every tool in his brain to go face to face with the influential Nazi leader Hermann Goring. Throughout the film the strength of the storyline lands mostly on him and his portrayal comes through with honors. Not to take anything away from Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon, as they also provide intense performances that come off the screen powerfully with some head spinning acting. Crowe shows Goring’s crafty and egregiousness temperament as the Nazi leader attempts to sidestep the Holocaust’s gruesome events, while Shannon as the co-prosecution expert Robert H. Jackson, stands up against his debauchery.
With a lot of back and forth derision and evidence evaluation, the actors, under the guidance of Director and Co-Writer James Vanderbilt, provide a very aggressive battle of wits and psychological calculations making the film one of an odds-on favorite for an Oscar. Vanderbilt does an excellent job of creating the sets that include the original courtroom and the cells where the Nazis were being held. He also holds nothing back to stress the atrocities showing the video and ghastly photos of the concentration camps and the dead. The realistic movie is a needed brilliant tour de force in a year of weedy film releases that do not reach the pinnacle of expected entertainment.
Nuremberg has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for violent content involving the Holocaust, strong disturbing images, suicide, some language, smoking and brief drug content. The film entertains well for mature fans of the historical and drama genres with a full 5 out of 5 stars. Those that are squeamish may want to turn their heads away during the appalling scenes of the concentration camps.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, Carl Achleitner, Mark O’Brien, Fleur Bremmer
Directed and co-written by: James Vanderbilt
Genre: History, Psychological Drama, Legal Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violent content involving the Holocaust, strong disturbing images, suicide, some language, smoking and brief drug content.
Running Time: 2 hrs. 28 min,
Opening Date: November 7, 2025
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Released in: Theaters
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
