Apocrypha

Rating: 8/10 (19 January 2004)

This is when Pacino still tried to be human, though right after 'Serpico'. This is in his pre-DePalma days.
That and the plot itself are needless in this case. As with the original, crime drama plots follow similar story topics. The differences lie in the acting, editing, characters, and camera.
The editing here is less refined, trying to be Kubrick when this is Coppola. It isn't ponderous, but it's a contradictory style--much like 'The Thin Red Line'.
The camera is the same as before, not trying to do anything we haven't seen. Even Frankenheimer's 'Manchurian Candidate' contains more visual fluency than this effort.
The characters/acting are where the giant U-turn occurs this time. This has no basis on Puzo's book, but is completely constructed in Coppola's mind and in the actors' presentation. Are these rational steps being made? Most aren't.
The biggest surprise--DeNiro as Brando. In a context like this (instead of vice-versa), the range is almost unlimited. Coppola is one of few directors to use Brando effectively, as 'Apocalypse' would prove, and here DeNiro does his best work. Everything after this (Scorsese's works, 'Deer Hunter', 'Heat') becomes useless. In those cases he is bored. In 'Untouchables' he's energetic. Here--he's duplicating a master.
For that reason alone you should see this. See 'Apocalypse Now' after this to see Coppola do the real cinematic deal.
Final Analysis = = Midrange Material