Nuremberg Movie Review: Russell Crowe's WWII Courtroom Thriller Hits Netflix Top 3 Today
Russell Crowe's passion project has found its audience — just not in theaters. Nuremberg, the World War II courtroom drama directed by James Vanderbilt, hit Netflix this weekend and immediately crashed into the top three on the platform, despite a modest theatrical run when it first opened in November 2025.
What Is the Nuremberg Movie?
Written and directed by James Vanderbilt, Nuremberg is a gripping historical drama starring Russell Crowe as Hitler's second-in-command Hermann Göring, and Rami Malek as U.S. Army psychiatrist Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley, assigned to evaluate top Nazi leaders before they stand trial in an international tribunal after World War II. Based on Jack El-Hai's nonfiction book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, the story focuses on Kelley's intense analysis of Göring against the backdrop of the historic 1945-46 Nuremberg trials.
Vanderbilt, who wrote the screenplay for David Fincher's 2007 true crime classic Zodiac, has based his film on the El-Hai book. Leo Woodall plays U.S. Army translator Sgt. Howie Triest, and Michael Shannon portrays American Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, who meticulously prepares the prosecution.
Nuremberg Movie Is Now on Netflix — Top 3 Already
After a moderately successful run on VOD, Nuremberg arrived on Netflix just this weekend and has already smashed into the top three after only one day. It faces stiff competition from War Machine, the new big-budget sci-fi action film starring Alan Ritchson, but it is still performing well. The film earned scores of 71 percent from critics and 95 percent from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
After a muted box office run, the World War II courtroom thriller is currently one of the top 10 most popular titles on Prime Video as well, where it remains available to rent or purchase — meaning the film is now dominating on two major streaming platforms simultaneously.
Russell Crowe's Performance — The Best of His Career?
Russell Crowe, portly and imposing with slicked-back hair and a low-voiced German accent that expresses implacable self-satisfaction, plays Göring just after his surrender at the end of World War II. Nearly unrecognizable in the role, Crowe acts with consummate command even as Göring keeps the audience at arm's length.
The intense cross-examination scenes between Michael Shannon and Russell Crowe are a showcase for two actors at the top of their game, with Shannon's sharp delivery and Crowe's unsettling magnetism creating some of the film's most electric moments.
One Irish reviewer called the performance one of Crowe's best, describing a harrowing courtroom sequence where Göring enters the trial room — from the pounding on the walls to the camera bulbs flashing as he walks in — as unlike anything seen in recent WWII cinema.
Nuremberg Movie Review Scores — Critics vs. Audiences
On Rotten Tomatoes, 72 percent of 194 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus describes the film as a handsomely crafted historical drama driven by a commanding Russell Crowe performance, but notes that measured pacing and emotional restraint keep it from fully realizing the complexity of its subject. Metacritic assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.
Audiences have responded far more enthusiastically than critics, with a 95 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.4 rating on IMDb.
Full Cast of the Nuremberg Movie
The Nuremberg cast includes Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring, Rami Malek as psychiatrist Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley, Michael Shannon as prosecutor Robert H. Jackson, Leo Woodall as translator Sgt. Howie Triest, Richard E. Grant as Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, John Slattery as Burton C. Andrus, and Colin Hanks in a supporting role.
What's Next for Russell Crowe?
It is shaping up to be a busy year for Russell Crowe. He is currently hard at work filming the new Highlander reboot alongside Henry Cavill. He is also set to star in a new sci-fi adventure film called The Weight with Ethan Hawke, which is complete but still awaiting distribution. His next theatrical release, Beast, is set for April 10.
