Blu-ray Review: CONCLAVE

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Dec 18 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

When the Pope (Bruno Novelli) suddenly passes away from a heart attack, the College of Cardinals is gathered at the Sistine Chapel to carry out its secretive conclave process to elect a replacement. Put in charge of the process is Dean Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), a British Cardinal who has no interest in the papal position himself. In fact, Lawrence had been experiencing a crisis of faith, and had given the Pope his resignation shortly before the Holy Father died. But Lawrence is a moral man, and is determined to ensure that the conclave process is carried out with integrity and in the best interests of the Church.

However, there are several other Cardinals who are far more ambitious, and eager to become the new Pope. Among the frontrunners for the position are Italian reactionary traditionalist Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), Canadian mainstream conservative Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), and Nigerian social conservative Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati). Also a strong candidate, is American Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), who has similar liberal views to that of the late Pope, though Bellini appears to be a bit more humble than the other three. Just because these men are holy and pious in name, it doesn’t mean they aren’t ambitious and manipulative. Each of these Cardinals has his own vision for the Church’s next direction, which puts them at odds with one another. While some see a more open, liberal, and accepting future, others would rather go back to the stricter, more conservative ways of the past.

Just as the sequestering and conclave process is about to begin, various rumors about the candidates are already circulating, and Dean Lawrence sets out to investigate these matters and uncover the truth as quickly as possible, while also maintaining the sanctity and integrity of the conclave process. At the same time, he continues to struggle with his own doubts and inner turmoil as to whether he is the right man for this job. Throwing another wrench into the mix is the last-minute arrival of an unknown Cardinal, Mexican Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz), whom the Pope had apparently named Archbishop of Kabul a year earlier in secret. Helping to run things at the Cardinals’ sequestered accommodations is the tough Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini), who was a good friend of the late Pope, and knows some secrets of her own.

Conclave is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris, and adapted by screenwriter Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). It is directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front, Deutschland 83), who once again is able to showcase his amazing talent for visuals and storytelling. Conclave turns this mysterious election process into an exciting political drama/thriller, with some surprising twists and turns around every corner, and a beautiful visual and aural experience. As the film opens we learn about the various candidates who will be jockeying for this powerful position, and start to learn of their personal ideologies, some of which could really set back the Church by decades. As each round of the election process plays out, there are all forms of backstabbing, infighting, jealousy, ambition and greed at work. Each of these cardinals seems to have some secret they are hiding, or have put things in play to try to eliminate their competition. It is up to Cardinal Lawrence to try to uncover the truth, with the reluctant help of Sister Agnes. But as Lawrence tries to do what is best for the Church, he’s also having his own doubts and feelings of unworthiness. But if he doesn’t do what’s right, who else will?

I first saw Conclave in the theater just before we had our own timely election. However, I enjoyed the film just as much this second time around on Blu-ray. The film does an excellent job of building the tension, and keeping you guessing as to how this political chess game will play out. Viewers are taken on some shocking and unexpected turns, and the cast is amazing, with Fiennes, Tucci, Lithgow, Castellitto and Rossellini all delivering captivating performances. Plus, the film itself is a visual masterpiece.

Universal has released Conclave on Blu-ray and DVD, but it also available in 4K digitally, and there will be a 4K disc release coming in February. We received the Blu-ray release for review, and the presentation looks amazing. If you’ve seen director Edward Berger’s previous film, All Quiet on the Western Front, you already know this guy has a very cinematic eye. Whether it’s the Cardinals arriving at the Casa Santa Marta, or walking with their umbrellas in the gardens of the Vatican, or debating and voting in the Sistine Chapel, everything looks stunning and like a work of art. When not giving grand wide shots of the locations, the film is often kept close on characters, elevating the drama and dialogue. The colors are rich, and the level of detail is nearly flawless. I don’t know how much this could possibly look better on the forthcoming 4K disc. The filmmakers have also given great attention to detail with the sound. This world fully comes to life, whether it’s the footsteps of the Cardinals as they walk down the hallways, or every little click and clank—the sound is so meticulously and discretely presented. The clamor and ambiance of the conclave also feels like a fully-immersive experience. Add to this composer Volker Bertelmann’s (All Quiet on the Western Front, Lion) wonderful, tense score, and you are in for quite the aural experience. If Bertelmann doesn’t get nominated again this year for Best Original Score, I will be shocked.

The Blu-ray release only includes a single disc, which resides in standard HD keepcase, along with a carboard slipcover, and an insert containing a code to redeem for an HD Movies Anywhere-compatible digital copy of the film. The disc includes a 16-minute behind-the-scenes featurette as well as a director commentary track.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:00:29)

1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 5.1 Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Digital (code may not be valid after 1/31/2026):

HD Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

Sequestered: Inside Conclave (16:47)
The cast and crew discuss the story, themes and characters, how they got involved in the project, some of the changes from the novel, the cast and performances, keeping things accurate, filming in Rome, the sets, the costumes, the score, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/executive producer Edward Berger, executive producer Ralph Fiennes (“Lawrence”), production designer Suzie Davis, costume designer Lisy Christl, composer Volker Bertelmann, and actors Stanley Tucci (“Bellini”), John Lithgow (“Tremblay”), Isabella Rossellini (“Sister Agnes”) & Carlos Diehz (“Benitez”).
Feature Commentary With Director Edward Berger (2:00:29)
Director Edward Berger provides an interesting and informative audio commentary on the film, sharing a lot of behind-the-scenes and technical information about the production, script, performances, and more.

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Highly Recommended

Conclave is probably one of my favorite films of the year. Not only is it visually and aurally stunning, but the story is interesting, taking viewers into this highly-secretive conclave process as the frontrunners play this political game of chess to try to beat out their opponents. Meanwhile, a priest who’s having doubts and a crisis of conscience and a nun who’s used to being in the background, try to uncover the truth and ensure the integrity of the election and the future of the Church. Along the way there are lots of twists and surprises. Universal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds amazing, and includes a small but entertaining assortment of bonus material. This release comes highly recommended, or if you want to wait for the upcoming 4K disc release, the film is currently available to stream on Peacock.