Nuremberg (2025) – A Powerful History Lesson We Can't Ignore with Russell Crowe at His Best
Starring Rami Malek as psychiatrist Douglas Kelley and a phenomenal Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring, this historical drama probes the darkest corners of the human psyche, earning a 9/10 from me. Let’s delve into the details.
Nuremberg (2025) - The Plot: Inside the Mind of a Monster
Based on true events, Nuremberg follows U.S. Army psychiatrist Dr. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) in the lead-up to the famous trials. His job isn't to prosecute, but to understand. Tasked with evaluating the mental state of the captured Nazi high command—including the infamous Reichsmarschall, Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe)—Kelley seeks to answer one burning question: How could they do it?
The film becomes a tense psychological chess match, primarily between Kelley and the cunning, charismatic Göring. As Kelley conducts interviews and intelligence tests, he grows obsessed with unraveling the logic of evil, forming a disturbing and complex bond with his subject. The plot wisely focuses on this intimate battle of wits, using it as a lens to explore the massive, unimaginable crimes of the Holocaust and the nascent struggle for justice at Nuremberg. We see how these men rationalized their actions, and the heavy toll that looking directly into that abyss takes on Kelley himself.
The Lesson: More Than Just a History Movie
It’s good to see another historical drama like this. Aside from being entertaining, it’s deeply informative. Learning what happened during World War Two and at Nuremberg doesn't just teach us history. It shows us how far some humans can go, or at least how inhumane they can become. The sad, disturbing events of the Nazi work camps should teach us lessons so we never see such horrors again. To prevent that, we have to know how those high-rank Nazis were thinking, how they came to exist, so people won't bring that kind of leader to power anymore. Even though movies like this are warnings for us, I worry very few people will truly understand it as a warning and act accordingly.
I loved this movie, first of all, because I never knew that part of world history and what specifically happened with the psychiatrists at Nuremberg. Secondly, Russell Crowe’s performance here was amazing. Before I started watching, I didn't even know he was in it. Seeing him again in a serious movie like this, giving his full performance, made me realize he hasn’t lost his touch at all.
Scenes That Stopped Me Cold
Two scenes, in particular, got my full attention and perfectly show the film's challenging power.
First is when Dr. Kelley confronts Göring about the atrocities in the camps. Their dialogue is something we should all think about.
Göring: "You think American bombs and bullets don’t kill people? You vaporised 150,000 Japanese at a touch of a button. And you are judging me."
Kelley’s response and defense felt weak to me. He says: "We were defending ourselves."
Göring fires back: "How do you defend yourself on someone else’s soil?"
And Kelley’s response felt even weaker: "There is a difference between us bombing war factories and civilians dying as collateral damage." Wow. Bombing cities with nuclear bombs and killing civilians is called “collateral damage”? That exchange haunted me.
The second scene, which I think is even more important for us today, is Kelley’s radio broadcast after returning from Nuremberg. He says something like: there are people in the world, and in America, like those Nazis. There are people who want to be in power. "I am quite certain that there are people in America who would willingly climb over the corpses of half of the American public if they knew they could gain control of the other half."
I think what Kelley says in these last moments is the biggest truth in the movie. It’s a direct line from 1945 to our politics today, and it’s terrifying.
A Minor Critique: The Narrow Focus
In general, I loved this movie. My only issue is that it leans heavily on Dr. Kelley’s story. By doing this, we don’t see much about the other 22 high-rank Nazi leaders. Their voices aren't really in the movie, and we see little of what actually happened during the trial proceedings in the courtroom itself. I wished for a slightly broader view of the historic event, even though I understand the choice to focus on the psychological duel.
Ratings and Critical Reception
- IMDb: 7.4/10 (from 46,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 72% Critics / 95% Audience
- Box Office: $40 million worldwide on a $7-10 million budget.
The audience score says it all—viewers are connecting with this film’s power. The critic score is solid, with lots of praise for Crowe’s commanding and chilling performance. My 9/10 is closer to the audience: I think it succeeds brilliantly as both a tense thriller and a vital history lesson. Its financial success proves there’s a real appetite for smart, serious drama.
A Must-Watch Gem for History & Thriller Fans
Nuremberg is a gripping, thought-provoking, and necessary film. It’s not just about the past; it’s a mirror held up to the dangerous ideologies and lust for power that still exist. Crowe and Malek are electric together, and the film left me wanting to watch more WWII dramas from recent years, like Valkyrie.
So, at 9/10, it’s a powerful, conversation-starting drama. Dive in if you’re ready to be challenged and to remember the stark lessons history tries to teach us.
What did you think of Nuremberg? Did Göring’s arguments about American actions make you uncomfortable? How does Kelley’s final warning land for you today? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and here’s my ask: suggest a movie for my next review! This has me craving more well-made historical dramas. If you enjoyed this post, please like, follow, and share so you don’t miss the next deep dive. Thanks for reading—see you in the next one
