A thriller based on character conflict rather than special effects.
The old Pope dies and the cardinals of the Roman Catholic church meet in secret and secluded session to select the next. Immediately, problems arise. Is it true that one of the leading contenders was dismissed from his post the day that the old Pope died? And what about the newcomer: is he a Cardinal appointed secretly or is he an imposter with a forged letter of appointment from the old Pope? Then, of course, there is the politics. One of the front-runners is a traditionalist who wants to return to the days of the Latin mass? Another is an African for whom it would seem the moderates are only voting because of the colour of his skin because in terms of politics he too is a traditionalist who advocates the imprisonment of homosexuals. And then there are the secrets? Does one of the cardinals have a love child? Is another busy bribing his fellow electors? And will the terrorist activity in Rome itself have an impact on the election?
It makes a nice change to see a thriller whose drama is derived from the characters rather than endless special effects. The Guardian (4/5) called it “a thriller of actors talking in rooms”. The tension came from the pacing (those moments before the cardinals write a name on a piece of paper to signify their vote) and the claustrophobia of the interiors. Empire (4/5; “pensive and pulpy in equal measure”) pointed out that the interiors are mostly drab but the colour is heightened by the gorgeous robes worn by the cardinals. There was also great work with light and shade. I noticed the brilliant use of sounds such as the shooting of the bolts after the doors had been banged shut; this too enhanced the tautness. But such a film relies on the quality of the actors and it was blessed with an outstanding performance from Ralph Fiennes (Rotten Tomatoes thought it one of his finest) and strong support from the cast, especially Stanley Tucci.
At two hours long, the film might seem slightly slow in parts but on the whole it was great. I’d four star it.
Comments
Post a Comment