One of the best sequels ever made

Rating: 10/10 (21 February 2000)

The Godfather part 2 gets very close to the title for best sequel ever made, but not quite. Even so, I would rank this among the superior films to follow up on another and still be as strong and appealing and dramatically satisfying as the former. The structure of the film is also very important as it jumps back and forth between two stories of Corleone's without any disconnected feelings for the audience. Both could work as perfect single films on their own; together it's like a double album of the dark side of crime and the perilous nature of rising up in America as an immigrant. It's spectacular in many ways, masterpiece in fact, and has become as important as the first one (it is the only sequel to win an Oscar for best picture in those terms) and the acting all around is well-knit (even the pioneer himself Lee Strasberg is on hand as Roth), the score is possibly better in some ways to the first film, and most of the scene work is fantastic.
One thing that attracted me to this film is also what I believe is one of the all-time great breakthrough performances in any film, as Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone has all of that confidence as an actor without channeling too much Brando. If there would be one reason to see the film and recommend it it would be because of him, as he gives one of his tour de force career turns in that streak of one after another in the 70s. Pacino is practically as good with enough lines that are realistically grounded but also highly quotable at times (the "in my home" bit is priceless). John Cazale, by the way, is also an element to make the film work as one of two performances that he'll be remembered for twenty years down the line (the other being Dog Day Afternoon). In short, it's just a very well done picture.