By far Pacino's greatest performance

Rating: 9/10 (24 February 2001)

I have had a luxury that few people have. I have never been exposed to The Godfather series until this past week, when I have rented and watched all three of films. While I feel Godfather I is the best of the 3, and number 2 is also a very strong movie, Godfather III was by far the most intriguing of the trilogy. There is something very special about this film. The contrast of Catholic redemption and Michael's attempts to better himself is enthralling. The use of opera to bring about the tragic end of the movie and the Corleone empire. The then 18 year old actress Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone, who brings about a sweet innocence to the film, who frankly I fell in love with from the moment I saw that scene with Michael dancing with her. Lastly, the tragic Shakespeareanesque ending brings the Corleone family to its final end. Yes, Coppola and Puzo impressed me in their third outing. I have seen the negative comments about this film, and it's the same old garbage you always see concerning sequels. People always try to compare them to the original movie, and in the process they miss out on the great work of art that the sequel is. Lastly, I must say that Pacino was at his greatest in this film. I never thought of him as in the same league as people like DeNiro or Brando, even after watching the first 2 films. But this film changed my mind forever. He brought Michael Corleone to a level rarely achieved by any actor in any movie, much less a sequel, and he has my utmost respect, and I agree with another reviewer who said it was a shame he was passed for an Oscar. But there's nothing new under the sun there, as the Academy hasn't learned anything about rewarding truly great performances.