The Godfather: Part II

There’s nothing more that needs to be said about “The Godfather: Part II”. This is a majestic work. Everything is well-realized. Al Pacino is mesmerizing as Michael, the newly crowned head of the Corleone crime family. He glowers with remarkable intensity, the weight of the world always hovering just above his shoulders. Robert Deniro plays Michael’s father Vito. As counterpart to Marlon Brando’s Vito from the original “Godfather” film, Deniro plays Vito in his younger years when he was just starting to make a name for himself. The cuts between 1950’s Michael and 1910’s Vito initially seem too big a stretch, but director Francis Ford Coppolla proves masterful in his ability to connect the formative experiences of each man. This is the rare instance of a sequel supplanting the original work. So what if Coppolla hasn’t made a great film in ages? His reputation is established - let the man rest now and sell wine! If that’s what he wants to do, who are we to decry the void in cinema. The man’s work is done, and perhaps no one will ever catch up.