The Problem

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2004)

The problem with the film is not with what is included; Michael's last attempt at salvation is certainly a worthwhile theme for the movie and a completely logical one. Personally (SPOILER) I believe he actually attains that salvation: Keeping in mind that the trilogy is immersed in Catholic imagery and doctrine, I will put my neck out and say that the death of his daughter is the penance he pays for his sins, and this is realized in the long, drawn out scream he gives at the end. It seems that even Kay realizes this as she watches him. I would also say that in the concluding scene of the film, with Michael in Sicily as an old man, there is a serene look on his face just before he dies. He has (in terms of the film) come to peace with himself and God. His daughter was the price he paid. I find this a fitting way to end the trilogy. (By the way, I don't think the choice of Sofia Coppola was a bad one. She has a waifish quality and an innocence that Winona Ryder would not have brought to the film.)
However, it is what goes on before that makes this film disjointed. We are to accept this as a continuation of the story, but there are too many things missing. First, and most obviously, the film suffers from Coppola's inability to snag Robert Duvall to play Tom Hagen. George Hamilton is a poor replacement, although to his credit he tries valiantly. Second, although much is made of Vinnie's claim to the family as Sonny's illegitimate son, what about Sonny's multitude of legitimate kids? His widow? What are their positions in the Corleone family? And if they have no positions in the family, at least mention it. Do not pretend that they don't exist. This leads into another problem: Why is Connie so much Vinnie's champion? What about her own kids, who again don't receive as much as a reference in the screenplay. In fact, it is Connie's own son who is the center of the baptism scene in the first film. Wouldn't the irony of her own son now being "baptized" as the new Don make for more interesting fodder? What happened to them? Basically, the film cuts too many ties with the first two films and suffers as a result.
Although it wouldn't happen, I would like to see Coppola treat this film as Pam Ewing's dream and start over.