The Godfather II, the Don of Drama

Rating: 10/10 (22 January 2020)

Exhilarating, intense, passionate. These are words often used to describe Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 film, "The Godfather II". The film certainly delivers on all of those descriptions, and then some. It maintains the same themes of family, betrayal, and revenge as its preceding film, The Godfather, while still keeping the experience fresh and invigorating to experience.
The story is a continuation of The Godfather, following Michael Corleone played brilliantly by Al Pacino. After his father's death he becomes the new Don of the Corleone family. Due to the events that occurred in the previous installment, Michael has pulled out of New York to consolidate his operation in Nevada. While in his home, Michael is the victim of an assasination attempt. He suspects betrayal within his own family, and leads his own investigation into the matter. Meanwhile Michael has ambitions to expand business into Florida and Cuba with his father's old business partner Hyman Roth (played by Lee Strasberg). Throughout the movie it transitions using a flashback to Michael's father, Vito Corleone played by Robert De Nero. It takes us through his life growing up in Sicily, Italy, and eventually immigrating to New York. We see how Vito grew the Corleone name into a respected and powerful symbol, and building his business from the ground up.
Coppola displays his creative skill in screenwriting by telling two compelling narratives in the same film. The way he uses lighting to change the mood and tone of the setting adds depth to each scene. It creates an eerie and intense feeling at just the right moments, striking emotion into the scenes. The only problem I found with the writing was if you don't have any historical context, you will find yourself somewhat confused about what is happening. Though the use of history in the story is done perfectly, and adds another creative layer to the Cuba arc of the story. If you aren't paying attention or miss details because of the laid back and casual way lines are delivered at some key moments, then the following scene might fly over your head. My first viewing of the film I found myself asking myself "Why are they doing that?", or "Why did that happen?". Despite this, the story is still told in a mature and creative way that held my attention throughout the entire three and a half hour run time. All major themes found in the previous film family, betrayal, and revenge are built upon in this one. Each theme plays an important role in each of the decisions that are made. Coppola mixes themes that are like oil and water to make a shocking and compelling narrative. All themes in the film are ones that the majority of people watching can relate to, which allows the viewer to connect better with the characters and what they're feeling. The acting in the film mustn't go overlooked either. Al Pacino delivers his most notable performance in this film. I was able to feel the anger and passion through the screen during a major twist while he was arguing with his wife about their unborn child. All of the context built throughout the film and knowing how important family is for Michael, tears at the viewer which wouldn't be possible without Al Pacino's incredible performance. Robert De Nero and Robert Duvall each play their roles very notably, they where each casted perfectly and couldn't imagine any other actor playing their roles. There are some moments where the acting could be improved, like how a dead body is clearly breathing if you look close enough which can break the immersion. It's a very insignificant gripe, but worth mentioning. The soundtrack in the film is beautifully produced, and at times Coppola uses music being played in the scene to make the setting feel more natural.
The Godfather II is truly a timeless masterpiece of a film. It is the perfect example of a sequel done right, building on the key themes and elements that defined the previous film. The use of history and the blending of themes that on the surface wouldn't mix creates a compelling, exhilarating, and intense story that will hook you deep the entire time. Coppola is definitely a titan in the drama genre, which resulted in one of the most influential films of our time.