Based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris, Conclave is a compelling film about palace intrigue at the Vatican when a new Pope has to be elected after his passing. The task grows increasingly complicated as disqualifying details about the candidates are revealed. Director Edward Berger and screenwriter Peter Straughan created an engaging, timeless drama about the struggle for immense power in which the talented cast flourishes.
Buy Conclave Blu-rayCardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who intended to step down as Dean before the Pope rejected his resignation, leads the conclave, which requires a two-thirds majority to select the new pope. The main contenders are two liberal candidates, Cardinals Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci) and Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), who would continue leading the Church in its current liberal vein; and two conservative Cardinals Joshua Adeyemi of Nigeria (Lucian Msamati) and Goffredo Tedesco of Italy (Sergio Castellitto) who would re-direct the church back towards its traditional views. Each has factions of support that they need to expand
Before the sequestration commences, Lawrence learns one of the cardinals had been dismissed due to gross misconduct by the Pope on the day of his death, although when confronted, the cardinal denies it. The entire gathering learns the Pope made secret appointment when Archbishop Vincent Benitez of Kabul, a region not known for its embrace of Catholicism, arrives and wants to take part.
Sequestered within the Vatican, member votes are cast and machinations play out that undercut the candidates, possibly set in motion by their rivals. Cardinal Thomas, who himself receives votes even though he professes not to want the job, adds “detective” to his conclave-managing duties.
Finnes delivers a stellar performance as a man committed to duty. At times, weary from his diminishing faith while also tempted by the potential. Another standout cast member is Isabella Rossellini, who plays Sister Agnes, the head nun overseeing the care of the cardinals. Women aren’t involved in the conclave or the upper echelons of the Catholic Church, yet she is a force to be reckoned with here, directing Lawrence while protecting the nuns under her.
Secrets are revealed and candidates fall to side. After a terrorist suicide attack affects the conclave, one candidate calls for a religious war while another suggests they turn their cheek to the violence. The latter’s message has the greater appeal and wins the papacy. After the election, Lawrence learns the new Pope also has a secret in a great plot twist.
The video is presented in a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed in the film’s original aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Colors appear in strong hues, especially rich reds seen in the walls and costumes that pop off screen. Blacks are inky and shadows are used by cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine like a painter. There’s a scene in an auditorium where Lawrence, Bellini, and others are talking where empty seats disappear into the darkness. Whites are bright and accurate, as also seen in the costumes. The image does well presenting contrast, delineation, depth, and fine texture details.
The audio is available in Dolby TrueHD 7.1. The film is dialogue heavy. Voices can be heard clearly throughout. The surrounds fill with ambiance, which increases with the number of people in a room and the larger the location, which allows for more echo. The surrounds also awash the viewer in Volker Bertelmann’s score.
The bonus features are
- Feature Commentary by Berger
- Sequestered: Inside Conclave (17 min) – Standard EPK with the cast and crew talking about the film.
Conclave is a standout, the type of original, well-written, thought-provoking drama that people refer to when they complain “they don’t make them like that any more.” Berger and his assembled cast and crew not only created one of the best films of 2024, but one of the best in a while. The Blu-ray’s video looks exquisite with imagery that rivals painting within the Vatican.
