A disgrace to the series

Rating: 7/10 (4 August 2006)

Is this is the worst movie ever? No, far from it. Is it unwatchable? No. But is it a worthy conclusion to the series? NO. I have been going through an watching all of the Godfather films, and this one just does not match the level of the other two. One could argue that it would be near impossible as those two are undoubtedly some of the best films ever made, period. BUT, in that case, it would have been better if this film was never made. Coppola made a drastic mistake in doing this.
There are some pros about this film. Al Pacino gives a mighty performance, arguably his best post-Scarface. Scratchy voice and all, he portrays and aging Michael Corleone with depth, sensitivity and emotion. When he calls out about how he "murdered my father's son" it is heartbreaking. Also, the final shot of this film is one of the most beautiful ever made. It's like a photograph that shows the aged Michael, the man once of so much power, weak, and finally, dead. It is the perfect ending for the series, capping off the movies as large tragedy they are, in the purist, classical sense. We see a great man go from being noble and brave, to being evil and blinded by ambition, then trying to regain his nobility and innocence, but ultimately succumbing to evil.
Here are the problems. Francis Ford Coppola, quite frankly, lost his touch after Apocalypse Now. Gone are all the stunning, moving crane shots, the stark, emotional canvases, and what we are left with is a bunch of cut up close ups, straight outta the late-80's/early-90's. Each shot is framed around a bunch people, and provides no feeling of grandeur, tragedy or affection that I always found in the first two. Then there's the acting, besides Pacino, everyone seems to overdo it. Especially Andy Garcia, an actor who I respect, who seems to be a caricature of James Caan's character from the first film. Diane Keaton (the only one I wasn't fond of in the first two) is as cold as ever, and even Talia Shire seems to be out of place. The venerable Eli Wallach tries, but he doesn't with the mood of the movie for me. Joe Mantegna is in typical Fat Tony form, over the top stereotypical mobster; he's an insult to mob movies. I won't say anything regarding Sofia Coppola, because I think enough has already been said apart from the fact that her scenes with Garcia make me cringe. Speaking of which, the whole 'kissing cousins' thing has to be one of the worst plot ideas I've ever heard. It tarnishes the entire film, which should have focused on the struggles of Michael trying to legitimize his family while retaining the honor of his father. Not this pathetic incestuous relationship and the whole Vatican thing.
This movie is worth 7/10, it is watchable, and it has its good points, but overall, it is very, very disappointing. I may be nitpicking here, but this is the Godfather we're talking about here. As Goethe said, "In art the best is good enough."