Some say underrated, some say shouldn't have been released

Rating: 6/10 (1 July 2012)

Being somebody who loved Godfather I and II, this movie truly changed the way I will remember Don Michael Corleone. But that's not even the problem. Not only did this movie undo what was done in the first two movies, it had a major flaw in the casting of Mary Corleone. Although some may not agree, the majority of this movie's storyline is dependent on the much loved Mary. When Sofia Coppola played Mary (honestly she sounded half-asleep throughout the movie, idk if she's trying to sound seductive but it wasn't working for me), the entire plot comes crashing down. The way Mary Corleone was portrayed did not allow the viewers to become attached to her character, much less understand why the characters around her adored her so. If Mary had been portrayed with a stronger presence, it would've been an acceptable closing to the Godfather series. If I could make erase my memory of this third movie, I would. The way Godfather part II ended was perfect. With Michael Corleone making the stone-cold decision to kill anyone who poses a harm to his family, it made his character rock-solid, respected, and most of all, a legend. But being a huge fan of the first two, I had to see the final installment for myself, and man did Sofia Coppola disappoint. I'm not saying I'm 100% happy with the other characters' acting and the overall plot. But if Mary's casting had more character, it would've made the movie a LOT more formidable. Al Pacino's acting was all that saved this movie from being a horrible one.