A watchable, 3rd shot, but ultimately unmemorable

Rating: 6/10 (19 April 2009)

Watching this film many years after its release for the second time, I have to say if the power had gone half-way through I'd have been pretty annoyed, and yet as the end titles rolled I felt much like after the first viewing that there was nothing really outstanding or memorable about this film.
Rather than packing a final jaw-shattering punch, (like the 1st installment), or confronting us with bleak immorality, (part 2), the film is like one long second act without any of the set-pieces that made me sit up and take note in the previous movies, (horses head, murder of the five families, motel hooker mutilation, Easter parade, domestic violence, etc.), although some attempts are made to include many of these ideas, (eg. the assassination of Joey Zasa).
The cast try their hardest. Andy Garcia, initially very annoying, settles down to a more natural performance after a ludicrous establishing scene at the Corleone party, biting an ear off - (come off it Francis)! Sofia Copplola mostly carries the part, (unless she speaks); Diane Keaton leaps in and out from the wings saying the same old things, and George Hamilton does rather well in the unenviable task of filling Robert Duval's role as consigliari. Vatcian politics is portrayed bleakly and the theme of honour killing is dealt with quite well, making some nice references to motifs in the previous installments, (eg explaining the curious operetta seen in part 2 by a young Vito). John Savage, however, is utterly wasted in the superfluous character of Tom Hagen's son, and Franc D' Abrosio seems hopelessly miscast as Pacino's son.
All in all though this is a cynical film made purely to capitalise on the franchise and made to line Coppola's pockets after the commercial failure of Tucker. The script was also over-laboured and subject to major changes, some a result of financial constraints. The direction is less assured than the previous films, Michael's 'dread' is imperceptible and, curiously for a film of this genre, there is nothing adult enough to elevate it from a melodrama; - it's pretty much family viewing! All in all I enjoyed watching this film, and it does close the story for good, but considering the power & legacy of the first two movies it is ironic that the series should end on such a wimper, rather than a bang.