It's genuinely disappointing when a film possesses all the necessary components for success—everything except the most vital one, the element that dictates whether a production will truly shine or fall flat: the story. This is precisely the situation with director Edward Berger’s newest work, the highly anticipated drama centered on a papal conclave to choose a new pope. From a technical perspective, the filmmaker has assembled all the ingredients expected of an epic—a beautiful visual design, striking and original cinematography, and a strong cast delivering excellent performances from Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini, alongside noteworthy contributions from lesser-known actors (at least to American viewers) like Lucian Msamati and Sergio Castellito. The film also touches on some interesting points about the present condition of the Roman Catholic Church, though not often enough for my liking—specifically its reluctance to adopt reforms, the ongoing high-profile scandals that have shaken the institution, and the growing skepticism among those who practice the faith, all of which weigh heavily on the College of Cardinals as they decide who will be the next Holy Father. Sadly, the story and script are lacking. Initially, a significant portion of the film progresses at an extremely slow pace, making it difficult to stay awake. As the narrative moves into the heart of the conclave itself, it becomes somewhat overdramatic, resembling a heightened version of a 1980s television soap opera. Its attempt to feel like a suspenseful thriller unfolds as a series of betrayals where the leading contenders for pope are eliminated through the exposure of damaging secrets. Later on, the movie introduces several plot developments that either seem completely random and somewhat unbelievable or predictably appear thanks to obvious hints dropped earlier that were impossible to miss. These narrative problems detract from all the other positive aspects of the production, resulting in a film with impressive style but insufficient substance—a flaw that also affected Berger’s previous film, “All Quiet on the Western Front” (2022). Unlike many who have been deeply moved and thoroughly engaged by this release, perhaps my not having grown up Roman Catholic has prevented me from fully grasping the significance of its content. But as someone who tries to judge every movie fairly, I can’t avoid noticing that “Conclave” falls short of what it takes to create a true cinematic epic.

Source on TMDB