A couple of years ago after having a night of going hard (staying up to finish an assignment), I wanted and needed a nap, however, it just wasn’t working for me. I decided to put on a random long film in the hope it would bore me to sleep and from ‘You’ve Got Mail’, the two main characters made it obvious that ‘The Godfather’ was not a woman’s film. I decided to put this on to sleep to, however, the three hour long run time didn’t stop me from being entranced and ending up watching the whole thing. Since it is a new year, I thought it high time to watch the second film in the trilogy, and one that has been quoted as the best sequel ever.
The film follows Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), who has taken over the mobster business from his late father (Marlon Brando). This carries on the idea that Michael is becoming more evil as the series goes on. We see how his marriage is torn apart and how he loses practically the last in his family. However, it also follows the path of his father, through flashbacks, as a young boy to young father (Robert De Niro), from a Sicilian Immigrant turned mobster.
So, whilst the movie is made by and stars the same people, I do have to admit that half way through I was struggling. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood to enjoy this as thoroughly as the original, but if I had to choose, the first is the one I would always pick. I’m not even sure why I prefer the original so much, the acting is nothing fault and the story/filming is basically the same; I just have nothing to add on why I find a difference in the two.
I will say that I did really like the addition of Vito Corleone’s story as a young boy being intertwined with Michael’s happening now. It showed just how similar the two are, but also how different. While Vito stays a family man, Michael kills those he loves which in turn drives away his remaining family members. Vito would never kill his family, Michael does. However, Vito builds and almost loses an empire through looking after his family while Michael has to bring it back from the ashes and loses his from doing so. Its a good look at family vs business which to me demonstrates the American Dream.
I recommend this if you love the first one, it is a very good sequel, probably one of the best I have seen, but I personally prefer the first. However, you might like this one more.
My Rating – 3.6/5 Stars
IMDB Rating – 9/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating – 97%
(Picture Credit to –https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/60798663698037644/)
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