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    The Godfather Part II

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    All you ever hear about The Godfather Part II is that it’s even better than the first. I’m not sure I agree. Not because it’s a bad film because then I’d have to choose a favorite and that’s too much to ask. Can’t I just have both?

    The film is separated into two parts. One is a prequel to The Godfather and chronicles Vito Corleone’s arrival on Ellis Island and his growth as a criminal on his way to becoming the most powerful Godfather in North America. As an adult, he is played by Robert De Niro. A portion of the running time is also dedicated to Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) just after surviving an assassination attempt.

    The Godfather Part II is just that; the second half of a bigger story. It's not a sequel so the correct way to experience it is right after or soon after the first. As with the previous picture, there are a lot of characters here and you’re simply expected to know who they are. There’s no introduction. It jumps right into the complicated plot.

    If we consider the two stories here, we have something that’s very rare in cinema. A prequel that works, a sequel that does not feel forced or extraneous and finally, a film that as a whole is flawless. Honestly, it’s almost overwhelming. I was keeping track of the characters, noting the similarities between father and son, the differences between them, how actions from the first film led to consequences in this follow-up (or vice versa when speaking about the scenes set in 1917) and barely picked up on the parallel scenes, the great cinematography or the excellent performances. The casting of young Vito Corleone is so good you swear they just used a time machine instead of casting different actors. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.

    As a follow-up to The Godfather, I don’t think there’s anything left to be desired here. You think Michael Corleone was in a dark place before? Wait until you see what happens here. Want to see more of his wife, now trapped in a marriage to this monster? Wait until you see what Kay Adams-Corleone (Diane Keaton) does to show how deep the poison runs in this family. Within this epic film there are tragedies that cut deep and developments that are almost too big to comprehend when you first see them. Thankfully, the ample running time gives those events the opportunity to sink in. And that ending. It’s the definition of perfection.

    This is my first time seeing the Godfather trilogy and honestly, it isn’t what I expected. I’m not used to seeing stories this long, and certainly not ones where the plot isn’t clearly laid out, but instead gradually revealed to you in an organic fashion. I did struggle with figuring out who was who at times, but I didn’t mind. In fact, I find it kind of exciting. As soon as this film was over, I wanted to pop the first one into my machine again so I could see the changes in the characters and appreciate in a whole new way how the films run parallel and compliment each other. I’m so looking forward to this film again. Is The Godfather Part II better than the first? I don’t know. My advice? Watch them over and over and try to choose for yourself which one is better. It’ll be difficult but I’m looking forward to doing so myself. (On Blu-ray, April 30, 2016)

    10
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    adamwatchesmovies@  27.1.2017 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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