The Conclave is one of the world’s most ancient and secretive rituals; it happens when the cardinals of the Catholic Church stay secluded in the Vatican to elect the new Pope. The Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) picture is based on the homonymous best-seller by Robert Harris, who, to craft his fiction, consulted Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, a priest who was part of two conclaves in 2005 and 2013.
The protagonist is Cardinal Lawrence, who is tasked with leading the traditional event; still, he struggles with his faith while trying to keep the peace between the power-hungry cardinals and their humble colleagues who see themselves as servants of the religion. This is one of the best acting performances by Ralph Fiennes, who portrays self-doubt, scepticism, and wariness towards not only his future but also the one that lies ahead for the Vatican and its followers around the globe.

Isabella Rossellini finds one of her most powerful performances in Sister Agnes, as the world-cinema royalty operates on a different level from her peers. Agnes tries to show solemnness while burning inside by seeing how some of the cardinals behave as decadent politicians and businessmen. Sister Agnes represents the space reserved for women in this institution considering its current and possible future states. The writing presents the diverse groups inside the centuries-old institution, giving the picture more credibility. In an organization that has been around for so long, there are factions, cult-like units, people who have committed hideous acts, but also those who believe in serving and loving their brothers and sisters under the same God.

The prejudice and sins that plague the church aren’t forgotten or absolved by ‘Conclave,’ but there are also characters who embody the positive traits respecting its dogmas. The ensemble cast with names like Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Brían F. O’Byrne, and Sergio Castellitto compose the skilled vessels to paint how complex can be the Catholic church on its stances towards modern societal themes. The Mexican Carlos Diehz is an architect and a late bloomer in the acting world who leaves his mark as the humble and warm Cardinal Benítez.

The humanization of an ancient institution

The Catholic Church has rich imagery and symbolisms that are matched by few religions in the world, not only its rites but also its wardrobe, objects, music, architecture, and other aspects that are opulent and create good images from which cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine makes the most translating into a modern reading of renaissance art.

The colour red plays a special role. It doesn’t translate as passion and desire as seen in Pedro Almodóvar’s movies. Still, it is a tone of red akin to the blood that pours out of Christ’s body, a reminder of unity and repentance, while signalling to old traditions inserted in a heavily industrialized world.
Like the Vatican scenarios, the surrounding soundtrack becomes another character, helping further the experience and reading those men and women’s motifs, fears, and wishes.
Maturity is a trait of ‘Conclave’ because it doesn’t go for shock value or graphic imagery to criticize the Catholic Church, thus avoiding treading on the yesteryear clichés that suck out the weight of other cultural products that approach the sins of the Vatican. ‘Conclave’ is a breath amidst the self-righteous spawl of pseudo-religious movies in streaming services.

Having characters who struggle with their faith or the hierarchy they are stuck in while trying to maintain their dignity shows that ‘Conclave’ is respectful to the viewers. Catholicism is given as one of its richest on-screen representations. Berger’s film humanizes the institution and comes from the point of an outsider who doesn’t treat the characters and the organization as infallible. Their human element is what makes ‘Conclave’ a truly beautiful film.

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Synopsis

Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal? This question inspires Kip Andersen and Kameron Waters to investigate what major world religions think about the topic. But upon discovering a disconnect between what organised religious representatives say about killing animals and their religious texts they begin talking to scholars and vegan activists to discover the reasons behind it, its impact and if change is possible.

What Did I Like?

Christspiracy’s purpose is simple: convince people (religious or not) to interrogate their views on eating meat and industries that kill animals. As an atheist non-vegan, I think the film does a decent job of engaging in good faith with major religions. Providing enough reasonable arguments for why supporting industrial animal slaughter is antithetical to doctrines that favour compassion for living beings. 

It also shows how organised religion isn’t necessarily reflective of its members’ views by showing how spiritual leaders can alter their messages in service of capital and hegemonic power structures. This theme is furthered by the film highlighting other causes that animal rights intersect with. Whether it’s immigrants and prisoners forced into distressing positions killing animals because of their legal status, indigenous people being forced off their lands by deforestation or toxic industrial chemicals affecting leather workers and others because of workplace policy. Each of these struggles is linked to the devaluing of life (human and animal) in favour of industry profits. But the film argues a better world is possible if animal rights are part of the struggle for justice. Because if there are humane alternatives and humans are more intelligent than animals we should try to do better. For ourselves, animals and nature.

There is also great variety in the film’s content. The use of interviewees, animation and investigation sections make for a continually interesting watch that engagingly showcases the film’s thesis.

What Did I Not Like?

Apart from the film’s variety in form, there isn’t much to appreciate about Christspiracy’s presentation. The camera work and music are mostly generic and unremarkable, serving merely as vehicles to impart its message. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it leaves little to appreciate if the message doesn’t engage viewers. 

Additionally, the film’s conspiracy angle adds little to the overall experience. The narration and overly serious music in several segments feel too melodramatic to be taken seriously. Especially compared to the realness of the film’s investigative direct action segments. It feels like a desperate attempt to encourage engagement.

Also I feel the film makes major stumbles regarding the information it presents.

Difficult Discussion

Despite Christspiracy mentioning these concerns the film still feels like it’s tokenizing certain cultures (particularly indigenous peoples) to show them as alternatives to practices endorsed by major religious spokespeople and making them feel like pawns in a game rather than people. The film should have stuck to analysing the diverse attitudes within the major religions or provided space to fully explore the cultures featured.

Also, the film specifically highlights Israel’s high vegan population as a compassionate transformation and a positive for the vegan movement. But considering Israel’s government has used its vegan reputation to vegan-wash crimes against Palestinians, not disclosing this information, particularly now, when it is potentially conducting genocide and ecocide in Gaza, killing humans and animals, feels irresponsible for a film about fighting injustice.

Finally, one segment centres around Holocaust comparisons to factory farming. Although Holocaust survivor Alex Hershaft’s lived experience informed his views expressed in the film, the film’s brief use of his sentiments with little else said feels like another culture’s pain being used for expedient shock value – which feels very insensitive.

Conclusion

Christspiracy is frustrating. Its good central premise, some compelling material and variety had the potential to make a truly impactful documentary. However, it’s dragged down by a lack of unique production work which fails to make it stand out and a plot conceit that only serves to create artificial tension. Plus the lack of care given to some of its material has the potential to harmfully impact different cultures.

Rating: (2 / 5)

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