← Back to Directory
Conclave
Movie

Conclave

2024 • Drama, Thriller

Woke Score
8.8
out of 10

Plot

When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading the selection of a new Pope, he finds himself in a web of conspiracy and intrigue that could shake the very foundations of the Catholic Church.

Overall Series Review

The movie Conclave frames the election of a new Pope as a tense political thriller centered on the conflict between two factions: conservative cardinals who hold to tradition and progressive reformers seeking to liberalize the Catholic Church. The film establishes a clear ideological battleground. The central protagonist, Cardinal Lawrence, attempts to guide the election toward a moderate, progressive outcome, constantly battling the corruption, personal ambition, and outdated views of his colleagues. The narrative presents the Church's ancient institution as a den of shadowy politics and power-scheming. The entire selection process is defined by the political maneuvering to disqualify candidates based on past scandals or inconveniently conservative beliefs, rather than spiritual merit. The film culminates in the selection of an unexpected, mysterious outsider whose very identity redefines the nature of the Catholic priesthood. The story promotes a message where doubt and openness to a subjective morality are necessary virtues to combat the sin of "certainty" found within traditional faith.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics8/10

The plot focuses on the political machinations of the election, where character merit is secondary to scandal and factional alignment. The African cardinal who represents the Global South and holds traditional views is successfully thwarted and disqualified based on an investigation into his past life. The final, successful candidate is an unknown Mexican cardinal, an ethnic minority whose election is ultimately tied to a progressive identity twist.

Oikophobia9/10

The narrative treats the Catholic Church, a foundational Western institution, as fundamentally corrupt, filled with power-hungry schemers and dark secrets. The traditionalist cardinals are depicted as reactionary and prejudiced. The film suggests the institution's tradition and 'backwardism' must be overcome by progressive, liberal ideas and dialogue with secular culture. One shot symbolizes religious sisters escaping their 'servile role' in the kitchen.

Feminism8/10

The main male-only hierarchy is subverted by the presence of a progressive cardinal whose clear agenda includes women's rights. The most significant move against male authority is the climactic reveal of the new Pope's intersex condition, which places a person with female physical characteristics in the highest male leadership position, directly undermining the Church’s exclusively male priesthood.

LGBTQ+10/10

The core of the movie's ending is a complete centering of sexual ideology. The newly elected Pope is revealed to be intersex, a condition that challenges the gender binary. This unexpected revelation directly infiltrates and subverts the ultimate normative structure of the Catholic Church. A leading contender is explicitly called a 'homophobe' by the progressive faction, making sexual politics a critical driver of the central conflict.

Anti-Theism9/10

The protagonist, Cardinal Lawrence, describes 'certainty' as the greatest sin and prays for a pope who 'doubts,' framing traditional doctrinal certainty as inherently evil. The conservative, religious wing is constantly undermined and exposed for corruption. The cardinals' concerns are overwhelmingly political and power-driven, suggesting traditional religion is a vehicle for moral corruption rather than a source of transcendent morality.