Fitting conclusion to the series

Rating: 6/10 (14 April 2014)

THE GODFATHER: PART III may not be the best film in the world, but it does serve as a fitting conclusion to the Oscar-winning series. The story (as well as the director and actors) have now moved on 20 years, allowing the narrative a change to explore the differences that age and time have had upon them, making a story that in some aspects feels superior to the second film, which didn't really add much that we didn't know from the original.
Coppola's direction is assured as ever, and there are enough returning actors from the original series to make this a joy to watch. The newcomers are also pretty interesting, in particular Andy Garcia, who seems to be channelling Pacino's spirit from the first two movies. I didn't find Sofia Coppola to be distracting in the least, only that the camera is clearly in love with her, which you'd expect given that the director's her father.
What I enjoyed most is that the film gets back to the series origins: this one's about corruption in high places, religion, betrayal and violent murder. The characters visit some dark places, which is what we the viewer wish to watch, and the extended opera set-piece works nicely along with the helicopter assault. It also doesn't feel as slow as the admittedly superior second part, which is also a point in its favour.