The Godfather: Part II (1974)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall
Runtime: 202 minutes

Synopsis: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.

Verdict: Two years after the release of the phenomenon that was Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather", the world was treated with a delicious sequel (and prequel) that, much like its predecessor, was greeted with universal acclaim from fans and critics alike, snatching the Best Picture award once again along the way. Ever since, moviegoers have been debating which of the two chapters was the best while agreeing that both deserve the praise they collected. For a long time, I argued that the second part was my favorite, but my most recent rewatch proved that opinions can change over time as I found the first to be more rewarding overall.

Michael Corleone has now fully veered to the dark side, taking his place as Don of the Corleone Family. His transformation is complete, but he's still the shadow of his respected father Vito, whose rise is told through flashbacks within the movie. The decision to intertwine two vastly different narratives submerged in different moods as suggested by the color palette utilized in both was a bold one from Coppola. The first is appropriately dark, reflecting Michael's apathy towards his surroundings, including his wife and siblings. Long gone are the days in which he wanted nothing to do with his family's business, and he has a ruthless way of showing it. Vito's story, on the other hand, is lighter as it shows him growing from a 9-year-old orphan who escaped to New York to slowly building a name and reputation for himself. Even though none of the two timelines tell a narrative as captivating as the one featured in the first film due to a lack of compelling supporting characters and a less interesting growth experienced by the protagonists, I believe that they could've worked better had they been separated into two different pictures to allow them to breathe more. Vincent Camby said that he viewed the film as being stitched together from leftover parts, and while I do think that it's an exaggeration on his part, I do see where his criticism comes from and a little part of me even agrees with it.

"The Godfather: Part II" remains obviously a top-tier crime film (I'd take Godfather leftovers over almost any other crime film that came out since) elevated by exceptional performances by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Its place in the history books is justified, and I'll never refuse anyone's offer to revisit it, despite its runtime of nearly three and a half hours. 

FINAL GRADE: 8/10