Travesty abounds.

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2009)

The Godfather: Part II is not a sequel in the traditional Hollywood sense, rather a companion piece to one of the greatest films ever made in The Godfather. Here, the story is epic and sprawling, as it covers Michael's reign as the new head of the Corleone family by moving the business to Nevada and at the same time flashes back to show the story of how a young Vito Corleone came to power and started the story now being continued.
Francis Ford Coppola returns to his old ground with writing partner Mario Puzo to expand on Michael and establish Vito and doing so by going back and forth. This leads to some incredible shots of the young Vito and the young Michael in the same frame, a haunting image and symbol of how far this family has come. It also shows how far Coppola has come in terms of directing these films. Once again, his direction is immaculate in every sense, perfectly balancing the time between Michael and Vito, always picking the right time to go from story to story.
All this aside, I haven't even mentioned the other strong points, which are basically all of them. The flawless acting continues here with Al Pacino cementing his legacy in this very subdued yet emotionally upsetting performance as Michael, the youngest who seemed ostracized from his family at the beginning and now has all the power and success and none of the love or affection his father had. Indeed, one of the main themes of the film is to show how different Michael handles things from his father and whether or not he is a better leader. Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire and the tragic John Cazale all contribute so much in their roles, and Robert De Niro made his name known with a flawless performance as the young, ambitious and loyal Vito.
Once again, Gordon Willis photographs and once again the darkness shrouds the characters, symbolizing the heavy-handed situations surrounding them. This adds so much to the tone and atmosphere of the story that it completely takes us up in the story and makes the 200 minute running time fly by smoothly. The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II have long been recognized as required viewing for any film lover and I cannot argue. They are so well-made and engrossing that it is impossible to not feel for these characters and the choices they make.
The final two scenes are quite something to behold. The first is a flashback to see the kids waiting for Vito to surprise him on his birthday. Here, we see how Michael truly was treated and how Sonny, Tom, and Connie related to one another and how it colored the rest of their existence. The final scene is Michael, alone and contemplating everything that has happened. It is a scene for the audience to contemplate and wonder at the travesty that has abounded. And these two films are truly something to behold and admire for their sheer quality and intensity.