Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2014)

At the end of "The Godfather", we have seen Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) change from a young man who wanted to stand apart from his family to one who did not hesitate to take up the reigns of control. In "Part II" , we see him lose his remaining shreds of morality and become an empty shell, insecure and merciless. The devolution of Michael Corleone is counterpointed by flashbacks to the youth and young manhood of his father, Vito (Robert De Niro). These scenes, taking place in Sicily and old New York, follow the conventional pattern of a young man on the rise and show the Mafia code being burned into the Corleone blood. What we have are two compelling narratives, two superb lead performances and lasting images. "The Godfather: Part II" then becomes a film that everyone who values movies at all should see.