Russell Crowe’s World War II-Era Legal Thriller Becomes a Streaming Favorite

1 week ago 10

Published Feb 20, 2026, 6:30 PM EST

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

Russell Crowe doesn’t need another Oscar nomination to remind people who he is. More than two decades removed from his last Academy Award nod — and forever linked to Maximus in Gladiator — Crowe has quietly shifted into more restrained, character-driven work. And now, his long-gestating passion project, Nuremberg, is finally getting the attention it missed in theaters.

After a muted box office run, the World War II courtroom thriller is currently one of the Top 10 most popular titles on Prime Video, where it’s available to rent or purchase. Nuremberg follows the historic trials in which high-ranking Nazis were evaluated to determine whether they were mentally fit to stand trial for their crimes. Instead of leaning into battlefield spectacle, the film centers on moral tension, psychological conflict, and legal reckoning.

Crowe is supported by a strong ensemble that includes Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, Richard E. Grant, and Leo Woodall, among others. When Nuremberg finally reached theaters last November after years of delays, it didn’t exactly light up the box office. But critics responded positively, giving it a 73% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were even more enthusiastic, landing it at 95%.

Is 'Nuremberg' Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that Nuremberg ultimately lands with power but takes far too long to get there — a respectable, well-acted historical drama that builds to an overwhelming conclusion, only to reveal how muted much of what came before it feels. Ross Bonaime noted that the film’s final act — particularly the courtroom sequences addressing the documented atrocities of the Holocaust — carries undeniable weight. Scenes featuring archival footage and direct confrontations between Crowe and Shannon are described as genuinely jarring and emotionally impactful, serving as sobering reminders of history’s darkest horrors.

"Nuremberg is a reliable, decent war film, the likes of which we’ve seen before. It’s hard not to wonder if this might’ve been more impactful with Vanderbilt simply writing, while someone else handles directing duties, but he does decently build the tension of this script to a fascinating boiling point by the end. Quite frankly, it never hurts for a film to preach the dangers of Nazis and how they can be anywhere and everywhere, but it is a bit of a shame Nuremberg isn’t finding a more compelling, enticing way to tell this inherently fascinating true story."

Nuremberg is available on Prime Video.