“Nuremberg” reminds us there are still lessons to be learned from World War II — lessons that may resonate today.
Focusing on a sliver of post-war history, it lets Rami Malek and Russell Crowe play a game of cat-and-mouse in a prison in Nuremberg. Crowe is Hermann Goring, the second in command of the Nazi regime; Malek is an Army psychiatrist who is charged with determining if he can stand trial.
The two have plenty to discuss and, when they’re squaring off with one another, “Nuremberg” crackles.
Rami Malek, left, and Russell Crowe star in "Nuremberg."
Crowe is exceptional, particularly when Malek tries to get at the heart of evil. Writer and director James Vanderbilt tosses in courtroom scenes, actual concentration camp footage and a supporting performance from Leo Woodall that all but steals the film from the stars.
Clearly, this is the kind of film that used to win Best Picture at the Oscars. But with “The Zone of Interest” and others in recent years, it’s clear a harder edge is necessary to conquer this turf.
Vanderbilt takes his time setting this up — thus making this a Nazi film for a new generation — and doesn’t hesitate to explain why Germans became caught up in the movement and how it could happen again.
Rami Malek reflects on tense scenes with Russell Crowe in World War II drama 'Nuremberg'
Michael Shannon is great as Robert Jackson, who leads the prosecution, and seems headed for a slam-dunk until he puts Goring on the stand and has to rely on help from his British counterpart (played by Richard E. Grant) to put this unusual trial back on track.
Woodall stakes his claim to the heart of the film as an interpreter who isn’t looking to play gotcha or nail the Nazis. He’s simply reacting to what he hears. The man’s moves, particularly in the courtroom, are impeccable.
Crowe, of course, dominates, as he does in most films. But when he bends to Malek’s questioning, there’s an opening for someone else to slip in and steal the film from him.
Russell Crowe is shown in a scene from the World War II drama "Nuremberg."
Vanderbilt leaves enough up in the air to make “Nuremberg” interesting for even the most devoted war scholars. When he addresses Goring’s fate, his film says plenty about blind devotion to a person, not a cause.
“Nuremberg” teaches just when you thought the book had been closed.
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Those who picked up the new iPhone have three months of free access to Apple TV, and there’s plenty of hidden gems on the streaming service to explore.
