The New Pope

An unexpected but very well-executed continuation of Sorrentino’s look at the Church. It’s no longer so tightly wound, but it still offers interesting topics for scrutiny. The Church is heading towards conflict with Islam, Malkovich’s ambiguous pope and Lenny’s unexpected return are great for building the tension and raise many questions, to which only Sorrentino and God know the answers…maybe. Will there be another season? Cameos by Marylin Manson and Sharon Stone. (2020-10-01)

The New Pope is a continuation and development of the image of the postmodern Vatican born from the wild visions of the master of imagination, Paolo Sorrentino, whom viewers already encountered in the previous series about the young pope. Lenny's conservative revolution will be followed by a brief interlude - the social revolution of Francis II, to be followed by the thermidor of the French revolution in the form of the installation of a compromising candidate of the papal curia - the snobbish and weak Brenox, easily corruptible, played with gusto by John Malkovich, who is typologically precise. I have been missing out on Sorrentino's visually refined but conceptually hollow snobbish films for some time now, but his deviation into television series is a delicacy for me. It is one of the few current series that can be considered truly original and thought-provoking about the nature of power and manifestations of faith in the consumer-saturated European society of the 21st century. It is also about the tradition exposed to the erosion of three sexual revolutions and the influence of mass media. In the second season, the director added decadence, sparing no images full of erotic symbolism. However, the first series already reliably deterred bigoted Catholics, so there will not be many who would be scandalized by sensual shots of nuns. Sorrentino is traditionally strong in the soundtrack and visual aspects of the work, while the narrative aspect lags behind, but that is no surprise when it comes to him. People watch Sorrentino for the atmosphere. Overall impression: 90%. (2021-11-03)

The distinctive Italian director Paolo Sorrentino has served the audience another visual treat, with an extremely absorbing atmosphere, supported by an amazing soundtrack and spiced up with a good dose of provocation. It certainly hasn't lost any of its quality, appeal, and originality. Still, I must say that The New Pope does not have the strength of its predecessor from 2016. It's hard to say whether this was due to the initially almost non-existent presence of Jude Law, who was the alpha and omega of the series The Young Pope. Although John Malkovich did a great job as the most powerful man in the Catholic Church, it was only the last three episodes, in which Jude Law was once again in the limelight, that had the proper insight and punch. (85%) (2021-11-11)

The New Pope, a follow-up to The Young Pope, initially felt like it would loosely connect to its predecessor. However, as the series progresses, it seamlessly intertwines with its roots, and Jude Law once again shines brightly in his role. I initially expected John Malkovich to take center stage, but The New Pope turned out to be full of surprises, where nothing is quite as it seems. Paolo Sorrentino’s masterful use of music is evident throughout, particularly in the opening and closing credits, which are uniquely captivating and hypnotic in every episode. It’s easy to see why the church might have had issues with it. Each episode stands as a cinematic gem, with exquisite direction, beautifully composed shots, and moments that feel like a breath of fresh air in modern filmmaking. And true to Sorrentino’s style, the series delves deep into the church, the main driving force of the narrative, in a way that’s both clever and conscious. Watching an episode feels like an experience that demands a pause afterward, to process the layers of symbolism and the contrast between human nature and the history of the Vatican. This symbolism is even more pronounced than in the first season, and for a moment, I contemplated giving it five stars. Ultimately, while the symbolism slightly overshadowed the story for me, it’s still a very strong four-star experience — one that’s rich, thoughtful, and deeply satisfying. (2021-09-27)