No 32 - The Godfather Part II

Billy's review
Rating: 6.9

Given the striding brilliance of its predecessor, The Godfather Part II often stumbles to produce the goods.

Lacking Marlon Brando’s stuffed-cheeked grandeur, the most lauded sequel in film history fails to weave a consistently gripping story. Of course, Al Pacino is enormous as the emotionally wrangled Michael Corleone, but the constant jittering between Godfather past and present suggests this is two films, rather than one.

Following his father’s death and his instalment as head of the family, Corleone negotiates his way around governmental crackdowns, family betrayal and the utter capitulation of his marriage with chilling aloofness. Juxtaposed against Corleone’s modern day travails is Robert De Niro’s portrayal of his father’s arrival in New York and the foundation of the family dynasty in Little Italy, giving background to the origins of organised crime on both sides of the Atlantic.

In terms of the Godfather story both are intriguing tales, but interspersing as one they lose momentum and soon become laboured, especially during the overly bloated and unnecessary focus on Michael’s business in Cuba.

Yes, it’s an essential follow up to the sublime original, but on its own The Godfather II often fails to hit such heady heights.

Su's Review
Rating: 5.2

I really couldn't fault the first Godfather movie, but I can't say the same for the sequel. I thought DeNiro was a good substitute for Brando, but he wasn't able to live up to the stature of the elder Godfather and I think this absence left a whole in the scenes.

Michael Corelone starts out strong and in charge and ends the film lonely and a still living in his father's shadow.

The flashbacks to the making of Vito Corleone could of been a film of its own and probably would have been more interesting than the whole of the second Godfather. The glimpses of the past were interesting but very oddly spaced throughout the movie.

Did Freido really need to die? Think about Anthony. Freido was his only friend and more of a father to him than Michael. I thought this was the downfall of Michael Corleone.

I truly have to wonder what kind of "offers they can't refuse" went on to get this flick onto the list because it definitely wasn't on its own merit.