WWII movies are some of the most prevalent kinds of stories in film history. Add to that, so are courtroom dramas. As well as period piece films. When you put all of these genres together you get the latest version of the Nuremberg trial “Nuremberg” written/directed by James Vanderbilt based on the book “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist “ by Jack El Hai. It, like “Judgment at Nuremberg” depicts the events leading up to and during the Nuremberg trial about war crimes facing the Nazi’s following WWII. This is a story that has been depicted multiple times on the big and small screen. Because it’s so cinematic, it makes for good watching by audiences. I would have to agree with that assessment after seeing the new version of this story.

Rami Malek plays a psychiatrist, Douglas Kelley, who is tasked with talking to and analyzing Hermann Goring (Russell Crowe) and other high ranking officials of the German Reich to see if they are fit to stand trial for crimes against humanity. As he gets to know this man and vice versa, he starts to respect him and understand the reasons he joined the Nazi party in the first place. The thing is Malek’s character also has to deal with his own rank and file, namely a General played by John Slattery who is on his case and trying to give good information to the lawyer who will go up against the Nazi’s played by Michael Shannon. Things get a bit complicated, though, for him as his allegiances get a bit mixed up and very confusing. 

Besides the cast members I already mentioned, there are a few more I want to touch on. First is a translator played by Leo Woodall. He comes across as a normal kid who is just doing his job as a translator between Goring and Kelley, but he has a more intriguing story about himself and his family. The Michael Shannon character has the job of trying to prosecute the Nazi’s for war crimes, but he too has a back story. He’s trying to get a promotion, and this case can help him in that it is a high-profile tribunal.  A reporter, Lila (Lydia Peckham), that the Malek character meets on a train tries to befriend him so she can get info from him about what it is he does and why he’s there is more of a pain than she originally came across as to him. She causes him major problems by the end of the film. The entire cast is stellar, though, and Vanderbilt got some great actors to help him build out this story.

One of the things you have to keep in mind when you are making and watching a WWII film is the technical aspects of the picture. I was genuinely impressed by the look of this film. The locations that looked like back lots or sound stages were transformed into the Nuremberg streets and so forth. A big room that was destroyed by the bombings was brought back to life to serve as the courtroom for the tribunal. Even a prison was created to hold the Nazi high command. Vanderbilt and his production designer didn’t hold back on trying to get every little detail correct at this time and location. Even the costumes were very on point. It helps when all of this stuff looks the proper way so it doesn’t cause a distraction for those watching the movie.

Malek won and Academy Award around 7 years back for his role as Freddy Mercury, the lead singer of Queen in the musical biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Ever since, he has exactly blown the socks off of audiences with his choices of projects since then.The Little Things, opposite two other Academy Awards winners, wasn’t received very well and his last film,The Amateur, a movie I quite liked, is another one the audience didn’t get into as much as I did. Here, he tries to be more of an engaging character, but as history has been told, this man’s life is already out there. He starts out as a guy doing his job and doing right by the American government, but he gets too enamored with his subject. And that causes him quite a few problems going forward in his life. As a sympathetic character, I was trying to get behind him, but I can see why he didn’t translate to the powers that be or the American public in the end. Malek is good in the role. I love to see him in more films like this one in the future.

As this story has been told before, it’s hard to do it in a new way. Vanderbilt does that, though. He comes from a more sympathetic angle than anyone would have thought possible considering the nature of this story. He did that with multiple characters, even Goring, played by Crowe. As far as most people were concerned, this was a straightforward situation.These men deserved to get hanged, and the American wouldn’t have it any other way. Showing a side to these men, including the Nazis, that wasn’t bad is a different angle to the story. I can see telling a story about some of the other men and their struggles in this situation, but that shows who they are to some extent. Nobody wants to see a sympathetic side to the Nazi’s. 

Nuremberg is a different take on this historical event than previously brought to the big or small screen. She shows some sides to these characters most people wouldn’t want to see. Vanderbilt did a very good job adapting the book the story the film is based on, but it’s a story that’s a bit touchy for most people. Not many want to see the Nazi’s shown in a good or sympathetic light. The main character’s relationship with him is part of that, I think. Malek and the rest of the cast, including Crowe and Shannon, are all doing terrific work here. Vanderbilt is coming from a good place with this film. I just don’t think it’ll translate to as many audiences as he’s hoped it would. I did enjoy the movie for what it was trying to say, though.

3 ½ stars

Dan Skip Allen