disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

IN VIAGGIO: THE TRAVELS OF POPE FRANCIS -- An Underwhelming Archival Documentary

3/30/2023

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
A scene from IN VIAGGIO: THE TRAVELS OF POPE FRANCIS, a Magnolia Pictures release. ©Archivo Vatican Media. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Documentaries about religious figures are often approached with wariness out of the fear that they could end up being little more than propaganda, but the fact that In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis was made by acclaimed documentarian Gianfranco Rosi (Fire at Sea) was encouraging. Although In Viaggio isn’t quite propaganda, it is also frustratingly shallow.

In the film, we follow Pope Francis in the first nine years of his pontificate, as he travels to 53 countries on 37 different trips. Throughout this journey, Pope Francis encounters and speaks on some of the most important issues facing the world today, from poverty to migration and even the environment and war.

The movie is almost entirely made up of archive footage compiled from Pope Francis’s travels across the world, visiting and addressing the citizens of countries all over the place. Considering that it is directed by Rosi — who is known for his visually stunning documentaries — it’s a bit disappointing that the film is almost all archive footage (and close-ups of the Pope’s face, at that).

Even at a mere eighty minutes in length, the movie starts to grow monotonous after a while. This is especially true since the speeches he gives are somewhat similar in nature and message. It’s interesting to see the slight differences in what he says based on where he is speaking, but the novelty of this wears off quite quickly.
Picture
A scene from IN VIAGGIO: THE TRAVELS OF POPE FRANCIS, a Magnolia Pictures release. ©Archivo Vatican Media. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
The message of the film is undeniably good — one of hope, love, peace, and acceptance — but it also feels very heavy-handed. Ultimately, it’s understandable that the movie feels like it is preaching to the viewer because it effectively is. Pope Francis is speaking to his followers in a way that is clearly meant to be teaching, and the film can’t shake the feeling of subjecting the audience to that.

Some of the more interesting portions of the movie follow Pope Francis as he rides through the streets of his destinations in the Popemobile. Although these seem like throwaway shots at first, they are indicative of the message of the film — perhaps even more so than the speeches themselves.

The one thing that the movie does succeed at doing is giving the viewer an ample amount of respect for Pope Francis. Even though the film doesn’t offer a particularly deep glance into his life or work, it’s easy to see the commitment he has to his followers through these speeches he delivers and the love he shows for them.

In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis is ultimately disappointing considering that it is made by a filmmaker who has the talent to make so much more than this. Although it’s hardly a bad film — and it has good intentions — there is frustratingly little to it.

In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis is now in theaters and on VOD.

​Rating: 2.5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About