Almost...just almost

Rating: 9/10 (23 June 2007)

The Godfather Part II is one of the most disappointing movies I have ever seen. That's not to say I didn't like it; on the contrary, I loved it. The film expands the character and arc of that which is Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino (reprising his role from the first flawless film). It is a saga in all senses of the word.
The most obvious thing to be disappointed by was its comparison to its predecessor. No one can compare "The Godfather" to anything else. It's a league of its own. As a stand-alone movie, "II" is great. Fantastic. But not flawless.
The one major thing I found was its pacing. If I were the director, I could have ended it 45 minutes earlier. The immediate plot arcs are resolved, and all that is left to tell is Michael's descent into darkness. If that was the story Coppola wanted to tell, fine. I just preferred a more upbeat ending (call me what you will). I almost got up to turn off the DVD, but then there was another scene. And another. They, truthfully, felt like add-ons.
This is not to say, once again, that I didn't love the movie. Easily one of the best ever. It just COULD HAVE been better. Once you have tasted filet mignon, would you go back to hamburger? Perhaps. But you might rather that burger be made out of the filet. This movie was more like a 40 oz. prime rib steak- tasty, juicy, so flavorful, but just too darn big to love.