michifugu

Alright guys, I want to review a movie today! So today I was just in the mood to watch a movie because I haven’t been to the cinema for a while, and when I checked my local theater schedule, I was in a dilemma about whether to watch Conclave or Interstellar re-releases (I’ve already watched Interstellar before, but it wasn’t in cinemas sadly, and I would like to watch it on a proper cinema screen). I made a poll on my social media account, and Conclave won. So I gave it a try.

The reason why Conclave piqued my interest is because I’d already heard a lot of good things about the film before and how it was Oscar-nomination worthy. Not to mention, the visuals and cinematography interested me because they looked good? And I love some religious drip. Also, I didn’t expect to get a pro-queer message in this Catholic movie, lol.

Okay, that’s enough rambling, and let’s get into the actual review. Before I watched it, I had no idea about the story nor was I aware of its novel. I only knew that it was a political thriller. So I went into it completely blind. And I’m so glad I watched it blind. While the mystery element in this movie isn’t that mind-boggling and can be predictable if you actually pay attention to the movie or are aware of some nasty sides of the Institutionalized Church, the real meat is in the cast’s acting and execution, as well as the message they’re trying to convey.

The acting is truly top-notch, and the actors really did a fucking good job portraying the emotions of their characters, which makes you feel immersed in the story. I really liked Thomas, Benitez, Bellini, and Tedesco’s actors—they’re fucking fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the cast also has fantastic acting, but those four are the ones who stuck with me the most, especially Cardinal Benitez’s actor.

The story is about a Papal Conclave or Papal Election, if you don’t know. After the previous pope died, Dean Thomas Lawrence was tasked with electing a new Pope. There are five papal candidates, each with their own ideology and values: the Liberal Progressive Bellini, the Moderate Tremblay, the Conservative Adeyemi, the Traditionalist Tedesco, and the last-minute Cardinal from Kabul, Benitez. Anyway, I won’t tell too much detail because it’s best if you watch this blind, but since this is a review, there’s bound to be spoilers somehow. So, please read at your own risk. The story is pretty much about how Thomas and co. need to do whatever it takes to not let Tedesco win the conclave due to his extremist views.

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