One of the all time greatest

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 2016)

There is always a risk when a film becomes a huge part of popular culture. So many of it's iconic moments and scenes are ripped off, riffed on, or parodied by countless shows and movies, that there is always a fear that the original will lose some of it's impact, and become comical and stale.
The Godfather, however, disproves this. It is still a masterpiece, and always will be. The story-line proves once again how much the innocent public loves to view the lives of outright evil men, especially when they happen to be of the charming and charismatic variety. Let's look at the most iconic scene; a man chops off a horse's head, and leaves it in his owner's bed in order to scare him into submission. Oh yeah, he's one of the good guys though, so it's okay!
Everything is explored in the Godfather, either directly or subtly; family politics, gangland negotiation, corrupt officials, there is no part of the mafia experience that is not pictured here, taken from the viewpoint of Michael, a character whose transition from unwilling family outsider and war-hero into the don himself really gives the film a unique perspective.
Of course, for me, out of all the fantastic characters, the film is carried by Marlon Brando. There is something magnetic about his performance, a mixture of loving family man, ruthless career criminal, and sophisticated Sicilian gentleman, that is thrilling to watch. One of the all time greatest acting performances.