Film Review of the Week

Thriller

Conclave (12A)

Review: Tradition is a cornerstone of the Catholic Church, especially with the election of a new figurehead. When the pope dies, rules dating back to the 13th century stipulate cardinals must gather in seclusion and cast secret ballots to name a successor. The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City has hosted these conclaves since 1492 beneath the gaze of renaissance painter Michelangelo’s fresco, The Last Judgment, with a small chimney on the roof that spews white smoke to indicate when one candidate has secured more than two thirds of the cardinals’ votes.

Oscar-winning German director Edward Berger masterminds a riveting thriller that milks every droplet of tension from the papal election, emboldened by a masterful central performance from Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal overseeing the ritual. The Suffolk-born actor has twice been nominated for an Oscar, for Schindler’s List and The English Patient, but never won. Berger’s picture should finally earn him a coveted golden statuette. Fiennes’s quietly understated yet emotionally devastating portrayal of a man of God who turns detective as the pivotal vote unfolds is an embarrassment of riches, fuelled by eloquent wordplay that drips off the tongue like honey.

“We are mortal men. We serve an ideal. We cannot always be ideal,” he sermonises – with good reason. Sparkling support includes Isabella Rossellini, making a ferocious impact with less than eight minutes of screen time as the head nun responsible for ensuring cardinals are nourished and comfortably accommodated throughout their deliberations. Her inside knowledge is true power.

Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes) is summoned to the Vatican City to confirm the death of the Pope (Bruno Novelli) from a heart attack. As Dean of the College of Cardinals, Lawrence will oversee the conclave in the sanctity of the Sistine Chapel. Lawrence’s good friend Cardinal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci) harbours resignations about running (“No sane man would want the papacy”) but he is determined to prevent bombastic Italian rival Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) from leading the Catholic Church.

Cardinals Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow) and Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) also arrive to campaign for the highest honour. As tensions rise, head nun Sister Agnes (Rossellini) closely scrutinises proceedings and Lawrence’s trusted assistant Monsignor Raymond O’Malley (Brian F O’Byrne) uncovers troubling evidence that could change the outcome of the election.

Adapted from Robert Harris’s novel by screenwriter Peter Straughan, Conclave prowls grandiose corridors of power with knuckle-whitening intent. Cinematographer Stephane Fontaine conjures striking tableaux like an overhead shot of hundreds of cardinals dressed in red and white robes moving en masse through the rain, faces obscured by matching umbrellas. Berger’s vice-like grip never slackens, making light work of a 120-minute running time replete with a last-gasp solemn ratification that audiences unfamiliar with Harris’s book won’t see coming.

Animation

Moana 2 (PG)

Review: At the musical crescendo of the first Moana, the plucky seafaring heroine voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho trills, “One day I’ll know how far I’ll go.” Thanks to this eagerly anticipated sequel directed by David G Derrick Jr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, we now know the answer to soaring her cri de coeur. Not far enough. Originally intended as a TV series for Disney+, the deftly reworked Moana 2 replicates the narrative structure of its predecessor with a gentle opening on the verdant paradise of Motunui, where the eponymous adventurer treads water before an urgent call from her ancestors to undertake an epic quest far from home.

Scriptwriters Jared Bush and Ledoux Miller introduce two new antagonists, who pale next to fiery demon Te Ka and deranged coconut crab Tamatoa. An additional scene shipwrecked in the end credits indicates we may have unknowingly charted a course into the Moana Cinematic Universe with an overarching otherworldly supervillain. The MoCU, if you will.

The first film gently poked fun at the Disney princess archetype through Dwayne Johnson’s adorably self-obsessed and posturing Maui. “If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess,” he memorably quipped. The sequel doubles down on the misconception when the strapping demigod again attributes royal heritage to the seafaring heroine. “Still not a princess,” she sighs wearily. “Well, a lot of people think you are,” counters Maui, speaking for himself and millions of heavily merchandised fans.

During an excursion with Pua the pig and Heihei the rooster (Alan Tudyk), Moana discovers a broken earthenware pot that proves the existence of other communities beyond the island of Motunui. Wayfaring ancestors call to her to break a curse on the island of Motufetu by defeating angry storm god Nalo. The young heroine bids tearful farewell to younger sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda) and ventures out to sea with a three-strong crew comprising farmer Kele (David Fane), inventor Loto (Rose Matafeo) and storyteller Moni (Hualalai Chung). Their adventure intersects with demigod Maui (Johnson), who has his hands full with batty underworld goddess Matangi (Awhimai Fraser).

Moana 2 makes a smaller splash but visuals are resplendent, the returning Kakamora pirates are gifted a satisfying emotional payoff and jokes generally hit large targets. The episodic plot belies the project’s origins, resulting in a gentle trickle of action and suspense for the first hour. Sisterly bonds between Moana and cherubic Simea are milked for every tear and coo in the human body, building to a wondrous final 15 minutes that recaptures the sweeping grandeur of the first film. Lin-Manuel Miranda is noticeably absent from songwriting credits and the sequel lacks his lyrical dexterity. Fittingly, the centrepiece anthem Beyond, written by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, doesn’t go far enough.