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Joined 4 months ago
Cake day: December 29th, 2024
  • Ilandar@lemm.eetomovies@lemm.ee•Conclave was almost a great movie, but failed to stick the landingEnglish
    1·
    4 hours ago

    I actually rewatched it tonight and I’ve changed my mind that the “power corrupts” theme doesn’t go anywhere. On a second viewing (where I could concentrate 100% without someone eating popcorn loudly in my ear) I thought there was actually quite a well rounded arc built around that theme,

    spoiler

    with the conclusion coming when Lawrence admits to Bellini he has considered his own papacy and finally succumbs by voting for himself. The suicide bombing occurs right as he casts his vote, and acts as a symbolic intervention from God in response to his sin.

    Aside from distraction in the cinema and the benefits of a second viewing, I think the reason I overlooked this the first time around is because it is immediately followed and perhaps overshadowed by the multiple plot twists involving Benitez, who until then hasn’t featured much in the film. Originally I thought his story didn’t really tie in with that of Lawrence, and I still think it is underdeveloped considering the ending of the film, but now I can see that if Benitez represents innocence then the ending of the film is really about Lawrence coming through a trial of his faith and the temptation of sin to rediscover this.

  • Ilandar@lemm.eetomovies@lemm.ee•Conclave was almost a great movie, but failed to stick the landingEnglish
    2·
    12 hours ago

    Yeah I definitely saw this and was a little disappointed it didn’t amount to anything. I left it out because I wasn’t actually sure it was really there, or if I just read it into the film without serious evidence.

    I had the exact same experience. I went with some family, so we were talking about it afterwards and I mentioned that I was kind of disappointed that this seduction of power element didn’t go anywhere and no one else even knew what I was talking about. But I think we’re right, it was definitely in there…we’re not crazy!

  • Ilandar@lemm.eetomovies@lemm.ee•Conclave was almost a great movie, but failed to stick the landingEnglish
    3·
    1 day ago

    I agree with you and I think quite a few other people have shared similar sentiments here too. There is nothing wrong with any of the narrative components that comprise the ending, but they aren’t given enough time throughout the film to match everything that has come before. All the political thriller tension type stuff leading up to the finale is consistently excellent and there is a lot of time spent on this sort of personal crisis the lead is going through, with quite a bit of foreshadowing that he is going to be corrupted by a lust for power. Yet that never actually comes, and instead we get a different ending which is fine but hasn’t received anywhere near as much attention. It’s like a 9/10 film for 85% that drops to a 6/10 right at the end. I left the cinema feeling somewhat disappointed but if I reflect honestly on the entire film it was still great and absolutely worth the watch.