Massively overrated

Rating: 1/10 (30 April 2012)

I'm not a fan of this type of movies, but since I like Al Pacino and I've heard so much about this so-called "legendary" Godfather, I decided to give it a try. I must say this is the most inexplicably overrated piece of trash I've ever seen. The characters are all ridiculous, unsympathetic and under developed, the story drags and lacks any real conflict and dynamics
But the most disgusting aspect is the movie's intent to glorify a bunch of low-life criminals and turn them into larger-than-life figures, into some kind of royalty. This whole "family" tradition is just ludicrous. We're supposed to "care" about these characters, to think that they are "cool". The major problem here is that there's no real conflict. There's no redeeming value whatsoever, they're all despicable and one-dimensional, so why the hell would I care.
The violence (which is particularly sickening) is another issue, but I guess audiences have come to appreciate it, and it's now a "hallmark" of the genre. Imagine, the Godfather's pregnant daughter gets beaten with a belt. But guess what: she's not likable either! She's hysterical, obnoxious and, even worse, she keeps defending her abusive husband. In another scene, James Caan beats the hell out of someone in front of children. Marvelous! That's just great, not to mention cool and "culturally relevant".
Marlon Brando speaking with a husky voice and cotton in his mouth is incredibly ridiculous. Al Pacino as Michael Corleone suddenly turns, from a principled man who doesn't want to have anything to do with murder, into a ruthless criminal. What? This character has no depth, no consistency whatsoever. His relationships with women are so poorly portrayed, they add nothing to his development. It's Pacino's worst, I can't imagine why anyone would think this is a great performance. If you want to see a good gangster movie, go watch "Donnie Brasco" instead.