← Back to Reviews
 

The Godfather: Part III


The Godfather Part III (1990)



The much derided threequel of Francis Ford Coppola's universally acclaimed trilogy on the saga of an American family comes at a hefty price. If you can forgive some of the heavy flaws the film is hated for, there is satisfaction to be salvaged. I've been a fan of Part III for a while, but I admit that the film is a deeply flawed work.

I used to believe that Part III was better than the first Godfather film. I now think otherwise, but there was plenty to like about the film. For one thing, Al Pacino's portrayal of Michael Corleone doesn't quite reach the masterful restrained performance of the earlier Godfather films, he is still solid as Corleone and delivers the best performance of the film. On the other hand, the dreadful Sofia Coppola is unforgiveable, as she gives a dreadful performance as Mary, Michael's daughter. She isn't talented enough to convey the emotion needed to make her character convincing.

Francis Ford Coppola's direction is full of grand shots and photography, but I always had issues with the slow pacing. Coppola still gives the film a sense of style, a more dramatic approach, as Michael seeks redemption for his pact sins, and a well-structured screenplay, which, religious aspects aside, is interesting and explores each character, Michael in particular.

It may be hated for Coppola's performance and the fact that the quality doesn't quite reach the standard of the first two installments, but look past that and enjoy the rest of the superb performances and Coppola's solid direction.