Nuremberg 4K 2025

Nuremberg (2025) is not a “courtroom drama with a podium,” but rather an almost intimate psychological duel: American military psychiatrist Douglas Kelly (Rami Malek) must determine whether Nazi leaders are sane before the trial, and very quickly comes up against the charisma, ego, and cold logic of Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe).

The film is structured like a slowly compressing spring: less of a “historical attraction” and more of a series of conversations, pauses, and glances, where a real war for control of the room is being waged behind the scenes. This is precisely why the actors' precision is so important here: Malek plays a man who tries to stick to science and discipline, but is increasingly drawn into a moral quagmire where “normal” suddenly seems too close.

Crowe, on the other hand, is simply the driving force behind the film. His Goering is not a “caricatured villain,” but a dangerously charming manipulator: sometimes he exerts his authority, sometimes he jokes, sometimes he puts on a show of nobility, and you catch yourself with an unpleasant feeling — how easily the human brain falls for confidence and status, even knowing who is in front of you. This is not an excuse for the character, but an honest demonstration of the mechanics of influence. And Crow does it in such a way that every appearance on screen seems to slightly change the air pressure. It is no coincidence that his performance is most often cited as the film's main argument.

On the downside, Nuremberg deliberately keeps its distance in places: the pace is measured, emotions are muted, and if you're waiting for catharsis and “big speeches,” you may be left cold. But as a film that reflects on how evil often looks reasonable, well-groomed, and convincing, it works well.

Who will like it: those who love historical films not for their reconstruction, but for their internal conflict and psychology. The premiere at TIFF, by the way, was very loud—with a long ovation.