Viewers are hailing the “phenomenal” new historical drama Nuremberg as a must-watch after it landed a near-perfect audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Written and directed by James Vanderbilt (known for White House Down and Fountain of Youth), the historical thriller is based on Jack El-Hai’s acclaimed book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist and explores the Nuremberg Trials held by the Allies against the defeated Nazi regime. Featuring an all-star cast including Russell Crowe, Rami Malek and Leo Woodall, the film hit US cinemas on 7 November and arrives in the UK on 14 November.

HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: “Historical dramas are hugely popular right now, and Nuremberg looks like a must-watch for fans of the genre. As a big fan of Leo Woodall (One Day and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy), I’m particularly excited to see him in a very different role to his previous on-screen credits.”

Russell Crowe plays Hermann Göring© Scott Garfield
Russell Crowe plays Hermann Göring

What are viewers saying about Nuremberg?

The film has gone down so well with US viewers that it’s currently sitting at a near-perfect 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. “Nuremberg was a phenomenal and important movie that everyone should see and that should be shown in schools,” said one person, while another echoed: “Nuremberg is the kind of movie you get shown in a high school history class. It’s gripping, looks great and feels like a product of a much different era. Russell Crowe’s most compelling work in a long time. Honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed this.”

Meanwhile, a third penned: “The script was well-written and the cast was excellent. I had concerns that it would be similar to the film Judgment at Nuremberg, but that wasn’t the case. Russell Crowe and Rami Malek both delivered Academy Award-winning performances and I believe the film will be named Best Picture!”

What is Nuremberg about?

Set in the “shadow of crimes that have haunted global history for decades,” the tense historical drama charts the infamous Nuremberg Trials of 1945-46, in which prominent Nazi leaders were prosecuted for war crimes.

The synopsis continues: “The movie centers around American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Malek), who is tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are fit to stand trial for their war crimes and finds himself in a complex battle of wits with Hermann Göring (Crowe), Hitler’s right-hand man.”

Who stars in Nuremberg?

The film is led by Russell Crowe (Gladiator), who plays Hermann Göring, while Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) stars as Douglas Kelley, the psychiatrist tasked with evaluating the mental fitness of Nazi war criminals.

Rami Malek stars as Douglas Kelley© Scott Garfield
Rami Malek stars as Douglas Kelley

The star-studded cast also includes Michael Shannon (Knives Out), Richard E. Grant (Saltburn) and Leo Woodall (One Day), who plays translator Howard Triest. Rounding out the ensemble are John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek and Andreas Pietschmann.

Nuremberg is available to watch in cinemas now, and is expected to land on a streamer soon.