This is a feature film that we didn't see coming and which comes a little out of nowhere, but which hits hard. We also feel the enormous potential it holds for the next Oscars. With this Conclave, we are faced with a work that is both cutting-edge and accessible where the rare context of a papal conclave is superbly exploited. But also where great actors give the best of themselves, and where the staging is stunningly beautiful while perfectly matching the locations and the atmosphere. It is also a film with great suspense which captivates us without downtime, lined with judicious twists and turns where fascinating questions about religions, faith, society and the Church grab us, haunt us and question us. In short, a very great film close to a masterpiece.
Synopsis : When the pope dies unexpectedly and mysteriously, Cardinal Lawrence finds himself in charge of organizing the selection of his successor. As the political machinations within the Vatican intensify, he realizes that the deceased had been hiding a secret that he must uncover before a new Pope is chosen. What happens behind the walls will change the face of the world.
This is a very serious contender in the Oscar race which should begin shortly! And it's an understatement to say that it's not necessarily a work that we were necessarily expecting, despite its prestigious team and its small impact in certain festivals such as TIFF in Toronto. But the subject was rather exciting since we are talking here about the famous conclave which leads to the designation of a new Pope after the death or abdication of the previous one. And there are few feature films that deal with this subject. Only one comes to mind, the We have the Pope by Nanni Moretti. Certainly films which take place in the Vatican are a little more frequent but if not The Two Popes or The Cardinal, They are mostly horror films. This is therefore a rare context and an intriguing subject, a source of fantasies that Edward Berger takes head on to deliver to us a masterful and captivating work which takes the form of a relentless thriller. Because yes, Conclave is above all a breathtaking thriller. So of course not in the sense that we can usually understand it with thrills, chases or even psychological tension, but mystery, questions and quite a few twists and turns (some of which will however be predictable).
And yet, we had the right to find that the German filmmaker Edward Berger had been a little overrated with his war film for Netflix, winner of the Oscar for best foreign film: In the West, nothing new. But this time, there is no doubt with Conclave : Berger is a great filmmaker. He takes on this subject adapted from a novel by Robert Harris with undeniable aptitude and makes it a great moment of cinema on all levels. From the first images, the atmosphere is heavy, the tension is at its height and a few fixed and concise shots, of rare effectiveness, will immerse us in this conclave for two exciting and totally hypnotic hours. We feel that Conclave will not be a light film and that this immersion within the great religious authorities of the Vatican will be filled with mystery and questions. The suspense is admirably well launched and it is hard not to succumb to it.
So that these behind the scenes of a religious election (which sometimes resembles those of a political election, as one of the protagonists also points out) with its betrayals, its fool's games, its suspicions, its small agreements and low blows , be credible, experienced actors were needed. Ralph Fiennes is of this caliber and he delivers here one of his best compositions as a cardinal organizer full of doubts and good will. Stanley Tucci, often confined to supporting roles, also excels as a progressive cardinal while John Lithgow and Sergio Castellito are impeccable as opponents of more reactionary sensibilities. The Vatican is perfectly reconstituted and Berger's staging magnifies it on numerous occasions, rewarding us with some sublime shots (the window of the Sistine Chapel exploding, a parade of sisters seen from above who run to Saint Peter's Square, leaving no one see that their umbrellas, etc.) and a production that is both ample and subdued in total adequacy with the places and the subject. We will just highlight a music, although intense and relevant, sometimes a little invasive.
More Conclave it is also and above all, behind the trappings of a religious thriller, a formidable receptacle for questions. The place of the Church within this world, the faith in all its aspects, the different currents which animate the Catholic religion and, of course, a host of eminently contemporary subjects perfectly inserted into the dialogues and situations. Homosexuality, the place of women, Islam and other religions and, at the center of it all, the necessary doubt, are at the heart of the story and the ins and outs of the election. Some exchanges are literally fascinating and open the debate intelligently. The epilogue and its twist are astonishing and give an even more modern scope to the film, as does a magnificent underlying peace speech. We are even moved by certain fixed shots on Fiennes' face during the finale. A face that says a lot in silence. Conclave is an important and masterful work not to be missed in a rare microcosm, and all of whose components border on perfection. A film which should find itself in a good place next year in the awards ceremonies…
Trailer – Conclave
Technical sheet – Conclave
Director: Edward Berger.
Screenwriters: Peter Straughan, based on the eponymous work by Robert Harris.
Production : Film Nation Entertainment.
Distribution : SND.
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, Sergio Castellito, …
Genres : Thriller – Drame.
Release date: December 4, 2024.
Duration: 2h02.
Country: United States – United Kingdom.
