Conclave (2024)★ 7.6/10

Never get important at work

There’s a kind of hush in Conclave—not silence, but the coiled, breath-held quiet of ancient ritual dressed in modern cutlery. It hums beneath cassocks and gritted teeth, beneath the Sistine ceiling that feels less like heaven and more like surveillance. This is a thriller measured in eye flickers and murmured allegiance, where every footstep echoes like a gavel against the ribs of God Himself.

The film dares to strip theology of majesty and expose its scaffolding—fragile men with trembling hands attempting to steer the eternal. It is not about faith; it’s about the performance of belief, a kind of ecclesiastical LARP in the Vatican's bowels, where politics and power pirouette around a slowly dying candle.

Fiennes walks like a man who’s been hollowed out by too many whispered truths. His performance isn’t acting, it’s a slow possession. You watch him dissolve into robes and ritual, until only guilt remains—dense and invisible as incense. His eyes do most of the speaking, which feels apt in a film where words are dangerous currency.

But what I loved—what made this film throb with relevance—was how it made the divine feel mundane, and the mundane feel profound. A key in a drawer has the tension of a loaded gun. A hallway becomes a confession. And when secrets slip through cracks, they don’t fall—they metastasize.

The final reveal is less twist and more transubstantiation. A quiet heresy buried in cloth and dust. And it asks—not whether men can speak for God—but whether they've just been speaking to themselves, in a cathedral-sized echo chamber.

Muy buena película, te muestra la otra cara del cónclave y te das cuenta que todo es política, algo que siempre se ha sabido, pero como en todo hay ambiciones de grupos que no quieren soltar el poder por nada del mundo

If they don't give Ralph Fiennes the Oscar, I will have myself baptized, and then sign the apostasy. Amen.

who knew religion was corrupt

missed the last 15 minutes because I was in a hurry for next screening in another cinema. I heard it was a big drama. I was curious and wanted to catch up.

The visuals are all about that solemn and grand vibe, and the lighting and soundtrack really amp up the unease and tension, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The film lays bare the corruption and desires of the Curia. Those who preach righteousness are full of hidden vices, while the so-called heretics are the ones true to their hearts. Irony at its best.

The story’s pretty weak and underwhelming. Not sure where they thought the thrills were.The film almost put me to sleep.

Even though I wasn't really into the twist at the end, I have to say the set design and cinematography were absolutely stunning. Plus, the soundtrack was super gripping, and the performances really pulled me in.

The film has good pacing, and it nails that tense, ritualistic vibe of religious themes. The ending was kind of a letdown, though. But overall, it was solid enough for a recommendation.

Director Edward Berger, who just recently was praised for his award-winning film ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, now has another that might end up being praised too. CONCLAVE is a thriller based on the 2016 novel of the same name written by Robert Harris. The Pope has passed away, leaving the seat vacant. Cardinal-Dean Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is appointed to gather a papal conclave to sequester together to vote on who the successor will be. Sounds kinda boring right? Well you’d be wrong. Being one of the most secretive and ancient events, I found some of the little details with the process fascinating. This movie has some more amazing aspects to it, like puzzle pieces that just fit together perfectly. First, the acting. They utilize an ensemble cast that includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Lucian Msamati, and Isabella Rossellini. Each character is looked at carefully in this, by the protagonist and by the audience as well. Fiennes gives an understated yet powerful performance that might be in consideration for a nomination. Second, the technical work. The cinematography works well with the reds and whites of the costumes with the greys of antique Roman marble rooms. They weren’t allowed to film in the Vatican, but they still managed to find certain buildings in Rome. The score knows when to throw in a note for suspense, but also to have silent moments, lingering with a character or two, holding a shot for longer than you’re used to. At the danger of sounding cliché, they honestly don’t make movies like this anymore. In today's society, people have less and less of an attention span, so when a movie like this comes along, it feels refreshing. It also lets the dialogue unfold the story and I appreciated how clear and concise it was. The ending is definitely going to be divisive for some, but I loved it. Overall, CONCLAVE is much more than just Oscar-bait. It is patient, understated, claustrophobic, and it reminds us that we are all human. A movie about the protocols of choosing a new Pope has no business being this amazing.

O filme tem um bom ritmo e acerta aquela vibração tensa e ritualística de temas religiosos. O final foi meio decepcionante, no entanto. Mas, no geral, foi sólido o suficiente para ser recomendado.