In Vatican City, Rome, the Pope has unexpectedly died of an apparent heart attack. Soon the College of Cardinals, under British Cardinal-Dean Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), gathers to elect the Pope’s successor. The four main candidates are US liberal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Nigerian social conservative Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Canadian moderate Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), and staunch traditionalist Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto). However, just before the papal conclave starts, a secretly named cardinal makes a last-minute addition.

The election of a Pope is a very dramatic public spectacle, so much so that Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons (2009) covered similar territory, albeit with an antimatter bomb: it showcases the process of the papal election, discusses the significance of the church in the face of an unknown future and the pull of its isolating but traditional roots, all against a conspiracy that may rock the church’s foundations to its core!

Whereas Dan Brown’s sensibilities lean more towards the blockbuster, Conclave is relatively subdued. Less a mystery and more a cold war, Lawrence must use his powers and limitations as head of the conclave to ensure a pure process to select the best person for the job, rather than the least bad. While all are men of God, with the future of their church on their minds, all also hold their own political ambitions to differing degrees.

Verdict: A beautiful-looking, strongly acted, suspenseful, and refined power-play that may disappoint those looking for more pulpy fun. 4.5 stars.

Luke McWilliams, themovieclub.net.