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Rating: 5 out of 5
When asked what is the greatest sequel ever made, many critics will land on The Godfather Part II. Some say it is the greatest movie ever made, but many believe it is the best sequel ever. The film was the first sequel to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. When some movies automatically go into a sequel, The Godfather Part 2 actually goes a different route with a backstory along with a continuation story. Here is to one of the greatest sequels ever made.
The story is the continuation of the Godfather saga. The film focuses on two stories that are interwoven with each other. The first is the backstory of Vito Corleone (De Niro). The story of Vito begins when he is a young boy and how his parents and brother were murdered by a Don in their hometown. Vito managing to escape as a young boy flees to New York City. In New York City, Vito’s life changes as he begins his rise to being Don Corleone. The second story and the one that is set is the present, which is the ongoing Michael Corleone (Pacino) story. Michael’s story is set seven years since the events of the first film. With the death of the other four families, the Corleone Family controls all of New York. Michael has moved his family to Nevada as he controls several hotels and casinos in the state. Things start to unravel as Frank Pentageli (Gazzo) comes to pay Michael a visit. Pentageli runs Michael’s interest in New York, comes and asks to take several people out because they are invading his turf and messing up his businesses. Michael refuses to do anything as the people that Pentageli want killed are backed by Hyman Roth (Strasberg), a long-time ally of Michael’s father. While at home, an assassination attempt against Michael and his family drives Michael over the edge. As Michael begins his investigation on who tried to kill him and his family, he begins to unravel as those closes to him might be his enemy.
I must give it to Director Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo for the Screenplay. It is hard to write and make a film that is already good, but then to top the original is something that must be applauded. The style and the way the story was told is merely fantastic. First having two stories going at once. One resembling the past with Don Vito and how he came up in the world. The other with Michael, and how he is trying to maintain control over his empire while also wanting to go “legit.”
The story gets exciting because you see two men fighting hard for what they got. Vito wants to help his community and is almost like a hero in the community. Michael, on the other hand, has become straight ruthless. He doesn’t put up with anyone and is willing to kill anyone to make his world safe but also profitable. It seems like we are watching the yin and yang of two mighty characters.
The main story is Michael and his full descent into being a straight-up emotionless BOSS. The dude almost seems like he sold his soul and all his emotions. I don’t think I saw him smile once. He has become a paranoid person after an assassination attempt. When he finally finds out the culprits, he unleashes a wrath like no other. When his wife leaves him, it’s understandable, but as she says goodbye to her kids. Her kids man. He shuts the door on her face. Her face is everything a mother should show, but he seems emotionless. Even when his sister begs for the life of their brother and asks for forgiveness. He is like NOPE! Can’t do it. He betrayed me, and he got to go. Far, far away from how his dad did things, and that is why the ending scene of the powerful. Besides being surrounded by family, Michael sits in isolation. One at the dinner table before he goes off to war and then again on the bench looking out. Michael has genuinely become a villain in his world now. Not a war hero but a villain.
Pacino brings his A-game as he reprised his role as Michael, the new Mob Boss. Pacino seemed to let loose all his fury and rage that the character had bent up inside him while keeping a calm exterior. You can see on the face of Michael, that being the boss has weighed heavily on him. Pacino shows that amazingly as there is no longer a smile on Michael’s face. There is only a paranoid person who wants to keep control of everything that he has. A man that kills at the drop of a hat. A man that is not surrounded by his family but lives in isolation. Unlike his father, Michael has become a very cold man with extreme piercing eyes.
Robert De Niro is equally and even better than Pacino. He pretty much speaks the whole movie in Italian, and just the way he portrays the former Don is to be applauded for. De Niro portrays Vito as a kind man who only wants to help his community and friends. Most importantly, family means everything to him. De Niro, you deserve your Academy Award for this film. Bravo!
The Godfather Part II is one of if not the best sequel around. It set the bar and standard on how a movie sequel should be. That is no easy feat. Pacino and De Niro were terrific in this film and deserve all the accolades. The story is fantastic, with the rise of Michael becoming an evil person. Enjoy this movie!
