Conclave Reviews

8.5 - This second viewing really improved this movie for me.

My first watch was at a 10:30 pm showing, & the slow & methodical nature of the story undoubtedly lulled me enough that I couldn’t appreciate the artistry put into the production, or the intensity of some of the performances outside of Fiennes.

I still do think it may feel it is making a bigger statement than it is, & some of the conveniences of the story are a little extreme. But production wise I need to give it way more credit.

The costuming & sets are so detailed & precise they make the inner chambers of the conclave feel almost like another character in this story. And the way it lingers in key moments, letting the doors close, the footsteps echo, the breaths rattle; all the things that movies aren’t supposed to show you, drive the tension in special ways.

Very glad I gave it a rewatch.

7.9 - The ending, which I absolutely cannot spoil, will likely make or break this for a lot of people. Especially with the older crowds & awards voters this is likely targeted at.

At its core, it’s a slow burning but well scripted, & tense “political” thriller. Just the idea of a behind the scenes look into one of the world’s most secret & intensive rituals is enough to engage me. It’s beautifully shot, & expertly acted, with Ralph Fiennes giving a performance on par with some of his all time best. But there are times, especially with the ending, that I did find myself sitting back & thinking this is a little silly, & it seems to think it’s either smarter or more self important than it is.

Regardless, depending who you watch with, be prepared for some *conversations.*

A phenomenal film about the true nature of the conclave and the Catholic Church.

My eyes were absolutely glued to the screen during the whole runtime of this film. Whether it’s because of the beautiful cinematography, the superb acting and actors, or the amazingly tense story.

It’s a slow burn drama that almost feels like a whodunnit, but is more about the choosing of the new pope and what shady deals are happening behind the scenes. I really liked the strategy and tactics—and the characters are really beautifully created. The ending has a nice twist that will sway some people to like or dislike it, but I thought it was a great choice to hammer home the themes of the film.

Overall, I thought it was a great film until the ending. The choice to make Benitez the pope, jumping from only six votes to at least 72, after just one speech was really silly to me and came out of nowhere. I don’t like when twists are clearly there just for shock value.

9.3/ I really did love this movie, is it worth a rewatch? Yes. Did I liked the ending? Not really. But each dialogue grabbed my attention, each scene is cinematically pleasing and the score is beautifully done.

Why was the pope trans. Very disrespectful

boring and confusing, protagonist does a bad italian accent

Definitely one of the most gorgeous movies to come out recently, the cinematographers need a big kiss for what they did here cause ohhhh myyyy god. So wow wowoowwow. Makes me wanna be a cardinal even more then I already did even though I really don’t understand that desire because I don’t believe in god and that’s a crucial part of being one. A guy can have aspirations though 🙄. Spoiler but for a minute there I really thought we were getting a trans man pope, but still intersex pope is hype too.

😂😂😂

Excellent movie. Beautifully directed. Suspenseful. Great acting.

Movie with great built suspense, amazig acting and flawless music that will stay in your mind for a long time. Only con of this film is very controversial ending that for me was accetptable but i understand why for some vievers final scenes can be very disedifying.

Beautifully shot. Beautifully acted. I thought it would be boring but it was very interesting throughout

Good look into the process of choosing a pope, other wise pretty boring and slow.

Very surprising ending!

Interesting premise and very well executed;
The traditions, the clothing, and the settings of the Holy See are all so fascinating, and this film captured that beautifully.
I felt the tension built throughout the story ultimately led nowhere, and the ending felt a little too much like an “…and everybody clapped” type of story, which I felt cheapened its impact.

okay....they kinda ate with this film. papal thriller with a twist? amen.

bonus: excellent score and cinematography

omg i enjoyed it wayyy more than i thought i would. everything was genuinely perfect (the cast, storyline, music, cinematography). the pacing was so good, dare i say it was a 10/10 AND DARE I SAY BEST “best picture” NOMINEE. every min i was like “what did he saaayy”

Disrespectful to the church’s beliefs and wokeness ruined the movie

the person who said that this was a catholic version of Mean Girls, was right. I love Ralph Fiennes and his scene of “Certainty”. Also the sister Agnes… a diva

This film held so much artistic value and the performances were beautiful. The narrative was incredibly engaging for a relatively boring plot about the Catholic Church. It’s an elegantly constructed movie with thoughtful intent, demonstrating how progress is inevitable.

8