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In my family, I’m always the one who won’t shut up about the latest (and greatest) movies I’ve watched on the big screen or on streaming. But towards the end of the last year, there was a surprising role reversal. Several of my family members would not stop talking about one new movie in particular.
That film was “Nuremberg,” a historical drama that recounts the Nuremberg trials, in which high-ranking German officials faced trial for their crimes during World War II. My family wasn’t an outlier. Over on review site Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a mighty impressive 95% rating from viewers, proving this dramatic and devastating war flick’s power, impact, and importance.
While “Nuremberg” was not a box office disappointment (pulling around $45 million on a $10 million budget), I expect it’s about to receive a huge wave of fresh interest because it’s just been added to Netflix’s movie library (as of Saturday, March 7). So, if you want to know more before you commit to streaming this emotionally devastating war drama, here are the full details.
What is ‘Nuremberg’ about?
In May 1945, the German forces surrendered to the Allies. It marked the end of history’s most brutal conflict, but what followed was a testing period where the victorious countries had to determine how to handle the captured German military leaders.
The result was the Nuremberg trials, in which various high-ranking Nazi officials were put on trial and held responsible for their abhorrent crimes during the global conflict. This drama, based on Jack El-Hai’s book, explores this turbulent moment in history as the world sought justice.
Primarily, the movie focuses on U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelly (Rami Malek) as he is tasked with assessing the mental state of various infamous German leaders ahead of the trials, including Hitler’s former second-in-command, Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe).
Alongside Oscar winners Malek and Crowe, “Nuremberg” also stars Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O'Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Richard E. Grant and Michael Shannon.
Should you stream ‘Nuremberg’ on Netflix?
On a foundational level, “Nuremberg” is a typical historical drama. It’s well shot, coherently written, and presented in a way that lets the true history speak for itself. It smartly avoids sensationalizing what is already an engaging and important moment in history.
It’s, unfortunately, often guilty of trying to cover too much ground in a single movie, with key historical moments glossed over, and some elements mentioned seemingly out of an obligation to ensure they weren’t forgotten, but never given the appropriate time to be truly fleshed out.
The movie doesn’t necessarily elevate itself above similar historical dramas, but it has two big advantages. The first is Russell Crowe. There is nothing likable about Hermann Göring, but there is much fascination to be gleaned from exploring such a sadistic real-life figure. “Nuremberg” isn’t afraid to get under Göring’s skin; it even shows him to be capable of charm and charisma.
I felt almost ashamed when, for just a moment, I nearly forgot this is one of history’s most abhorrent figures. Crowe fully commits to the role without going big; he finds success in a more subtle approach that is much more impactful. As Kelley gets closer to Göring, you start to see how he’s a master manipulator, and even more hauntingly, appears to hold little shame for the atrocities committed under his command.
The movie’s other noteworthy strength is the use of real Holocaust footage during a pivot moment of the eponymous trial. Make no mistake about it: this sequence is stomach-turning, and when I caught “Nuremberg” in theaters, I could feel the weight of it. But it effectively reminds you that the unthinkable crimes discussed throughout the movie are not the invention of Hollywood screenwriters; these are real events that happened to real people. Millions of innocent lives were taken in acts of senseless cruelty that scar to this day.
Beyond Crowe, Rami Malek is mostly serviceable as Kelley, even if he never matches Crowe’s intensity in their numerous scenes together. He’s still an effective lead, struggling to find his footing as the true evil of the man he’s assessing becomes clear. Meanwhile, Leo Woodall is another standout as Sergeant Howie Triest, a German-born Jew who works as an interpreter. Woodall delivers a powerful, gut-punch monologue that might rank as the movie’s strongest moment. It also serves as a message for the modern day.
It’s clear throughout that director James Vanderbilt (who also acts as the movie’s sole writer) has a great respect for the history he is bringing to the silver screen. And while that doesn’t automatically make “Nuremberg” a perfect movie, in this critic’s opinion, it’s a vital component when producing a historical drama chronicling an event such as the Nuremberg trials.
I could nitpick some of the movie’s faults, but as the credits rolled, my thoughts were with the real people who endured the Holocaust, and those who fought in World War II, giving their lives in the name of defending the world from a great evil. And that’s what’s most important about “Nuremberg.” It gets this critical element right and makes it a war drama I can recommend.
If you want more watchlist-worthy options, here’s a guide to everything new on Netflix in March 2026.
Watch "Nuremberg" on Netflix now
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