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Conspiracy thrillers don't come bigger than this: a gloriously star-studded affair, full of mystery and intrigue, set inside the secretive world of the Vatican.

Its stellar cast is led by acting titans Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, and directed by Edward Berger, whose previous movie, the wartime epic All Quiet On The Western Front, won big at last year's Academy Awards.

Conclave, adapted by Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), is based on the best-selling novel by Robert Harris (Precipice, The Ghost, Fatherland) and follows the incredible sequence of events that unfold after the unexpected death of the beloved pope. Into this power vacuum Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes) must summon to the Vatican the Catholic Church's most powerful leaders from around the world, where they will decide who should be their – and the world's – new pontiff. The conclave remains one of the most mysterious and secretive election procedures in the modern world; the ancient ritual dates back hundreds of years and was designed to ensure no political interference. Yet the modern world is more complicated and outside reality threatens to intrude.

As the famous papal fumes indicate the burning of ballots, Cardinal Lawrence discovers there's no smoke without fire. His search for answers only uncovers further secrets. The tension between sanctity and corruption has him questioning everyone around him, as deception takes hold from faith. He must try and reconcile the two.

The subtle performances from Tucci and John Lithgow have the audience questioning whether their characters are performing too. The theme of power is uniquely cinematic in this remarkable setting. Each shot of these glorious surroundings is a masterpiece of composition –but do these revered exteriors offer clues or do they conceal secrets within them? Although this world is unknowable to most, the moral questions they face are relevant to us all.

Joining Fiennes, Tucci and Lithgow is the unmissable Isabella Rossellini, here playing Sister Agnes, who is a constantly watchful presence until she can keep silent no longer. The acting legend can often be found on screen in smaller, European- skewed films, so it's a joy to find her here where she belongs – in a big-budget thriller designed for a wide audience on a giant Picturehouse screen.   Ed Gibbs