Suffering From Expectations

Rating: 7/10 (5 March 2003)

A writer and a producer/director combine to create a story that produces not one, but two of the greatest movies ever made, both legendary cinematic classics, and the only movie and its sequel to both win the Oscar for best picture. Then, 16 years later, it is announced that a final movie, the last chapter in the trilogy, is being released to complete the story. Of course, the expectations for this movie will be tremendously high, so high that anything less than a spectacular film will be written off as a disappointment. This is the atmosphere that "The Godfather: Part III" was introduced into, an almost impossible situation that even a good movie was destined to fail in. Which is exactly what "Part III" is: a good movie. Taken on it's own, this a good film, with some fantastic actors (Al Pacino, Andy Garcia, Diane Keaton), a compelling story, and well directed. Of course, the problem this movie suffers from is it can't be taken on its own. Presented using most of the same characters, and as the final chapter in one of the most loved film story lines of all time, comparisons to "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part II" are inevitable, and this is where "Part III" suffers. It is not the equal of either of the first two movies; not that this would normally be a tragic sin, as 99.9% of all films are not the equal of the first two movies. But the buildup of 16 years since "Part II" had been released, plus the general expectations surrounding anything to do with "The Godfather" saga, are too much for this film to overcome. ***1/2 out of *****