Russell Crowe’s War Movie With “Chilling” Modern Accuracy Becomes Streaming Sensation

by

Russell Crowe, known for his role in Gladiator, takes on a new challenge in a realistic war film set in history, and viewers are finding it just as captivating.

The film Nuremberg features a captivating performance by the Oscar-winning actor playing Hermann Göring, the infamous Nazi, as he stands trial for his crimes during the war. Viewers are finding the portrayal of the villain particularly compelling, and the film has climbed to #6 on Apple TV’s list of most-rented movies.

James Vanderbilt’s World War II film, Nuremberg, premiered in theaters on November 7, 2025, and earned $39.5 million despite a relatively small budget of $7 to $10 million. Reviews were generally positive, giving the film a ‘Fresh’ rating of 72% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers are loving the film much more than critics, with 95% of audience reviews being positive.

You know, when the first reviews of the Nuremberg movie came out, everyone was talking about Russell Crowe’s performance as Göring – most people really loved it! The technical side of things, like the cinematography and set design, also got a lot of praise. But some critics felt the movie lacked a real emotional punch and that it moved a bit too slowly for its own good. It seems like a bit of a mixed bag, honestly.

ScreenRant’s review of Nuremberg was mostly critical. The reviewer found the movie tonally and narratively confused, and felt that even the most engaging parts were undermined by the film’s unclear stance on the events it portrayed.

The review points out that exploring the mind of a Nazi to understand how someone could commit terrible acts—with the goal of preventing future atrocities—is different from spending over two hours making the audience sympathize with that person.

In November 2025, Michael Shannon, an actor in Nuremberg, highly complimented Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Hermann Göring, noting that Crowe effectively captured the Nazi leader’s captivating and persuasive personality, according to The Guardian.

Shannon explained that Bert Russell really embraced the idea that Göring was a likable person. Even the actors with minor roles as Nazi leaders felt included because Russell fostered a sense of camaraderie. He would have them all come in together, singing songs, and lead them himself.

Russell Crowe talked about how difficult it was to portray a notorious war criminal. In an interview with Deadline in May 2024, he explained that reading the script for Nuremberg immediately sparked both his interest and his concern.

He said he immediately connected with the script, but it also left him feeling drained. He admitted that he’s drawn to roles that present a real challenge – characters that make him wonder how he’d even begin to play them.

Russell Crowe was initially considered a potential Oscar contender after the premiere of ‘Nuremberg’ at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. However, his chances now appear to be diminishing as awards season gains momentum.

Read More

2026-01-14 18:41