REVIEW: Conclave – Ralph Fiennes is remarkable in this tense political thriller

Its that time of the year again. Awards seasons is upon us once more! After plenty of enjoyable trash where no intellectual engagement is required to some of the more intelligent mainstream offerings that will in fact be competing – as is always the case every year- it is time to knuckle down and pay close attention to what films will be challenging for the biggest awards in the industry. And so, we now arrive at one of the potential front runners, Conclave. 

The latest from German filmmaker Edward Berger who blew audiences away with his iteration of All Quiet on the Western Front on Netflix in 2022, which took home four Academy Awards (Best International Feature Film, Best Original Score, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Production Design). We follow Cardinal Lawrence (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in a career best performance), who is entrusted and tasked with one of the most important and secretive tasks in the world – overseeing the selection of a new pope after the current pope dies unexpectedly.

As cardinals of the Catholic church gather together from various different nations to elect a new leader, Lawrence uncovers deep secrets surrounding the popes death and unearths a hidden conspiracy that will shake the very foundation of the church to its core. Upon first glance at the trailer for this, I initially had no ideas on how they would be able to make this even the slightest bit dramatic or cinematic, as nothing jumped out.

However, the most simple and straightforward way of summing Conclave up would be to say that nothing happens but a lot happens at the same time, and even manages to make something that – at first – seems very un-cinematic, cinematic. As the story progressed, I gradually found myself becoming more and more gripped. Despite being a very straightforward premise where you struggle to see if they can make a film out of it, the visual language is just as important as what is going on with the story. Berger does this through very deliberate and obvious colour palettes that stand out so much on screen as well as very specific framing – it shows but does not exactly tell.

Photo credit: Focus Features

A comparison I never in a million years I thought it would make but I was unable to shake the thought, but oftentimes the pristine interiors and corridors you see in Conclave – that consists of bright, polished white / grey – reminded me of Tom Cruise’s science-fiction flick Oblivion, in which his character lives in a luxurious apartment befit with the same aesthetic and look. The same can even be said for Tron: Legacy, in which Jeff Bridge’s character lives in a similar setting. I realize when writing this that this may only be me which I am fine with.

There is also quite heavy use of red in corridors where everything is a subtler white which came across as slightly too visually obvious and aggressive. In the end, I would say that the visuals motifs are quite Kubrickian. Whilst my initial reservations about it being boring were proved wrong as I found it gripping, perhaps the only difficulty Conclave has is that it may prove too wordy as it is a conversation driven drama. Part of me does not wish to assume this, but the other part wonders whether or not some may lose patience with the story. It eventually begins to tackle deeply complicated morals which is what makes it so engrossing.

Photo credit: Focus Features

Regarding this year’s Oscars and who I would put my money on, it is now Ralph Fiennes vs Tom Hardy (for The Bikeriders). Despite roles that could not be further apart, there is something about the way the two seem to effortlessly command the screen through masterful subtlety that connects them.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing Fiennes is able to pull off here – as was the case with Hardy – is that it is such a calm yet powerful performance he was able to convey. Without uttering a single word, his face is able to communicate so much; his gaunt expressions are immaculate. For the entirety of its two hour runtime, there is a magnificently handled and judged air of tension and uncertainty, massively helped by this very uneasy and unnerving score by Volker Bertelmann, whom Berger worked with on All Quiet on the Western Front, for which he won the Oscar for. The best possible way of describing it would be to say that is feels like a ticking tomb bomb of a score.

Photo credit: Focus Features

Every single scene within Conclave proved to me that Edward Berger is a very intricate filmmaker, he knows what he wants from each and every scene and what it should, in turn, look like. The star of the show are Berger and Fiennes who delivers his best turnout so far. The other supporting performances c of John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci and Lucian Msamati – who features in TV’s Gangs of London which I love –  are all brilliant. Having gone in with no idea on how any of it would pan out, I am very happy to say that I was thoroughly impressed.

4/5

In cinemas now.