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The Godfather II (1974) Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg Director: Francis Ford Coppola Rating: R Category: Drama

ALSO! Check out where it ranked on our list of the Best 15 Film Sequels.

What makes "The Godfather Part II" a great film is that instead of merely continuing on with the story, it goes back to enhance and deepen the original. Whether it's the simplicity of fighting for justice instead of power and money, or the fact that old-fashioned vendettas are far more entertaining than business and politics, Vito's story is just more interesting than Michael's. Fortunately for us, "Part II" gives us what we hoped it would. It keeps us updated on the Corleone family into the 1960s, but it also sweetens the pot with some "good old days" flashbacks of the young Vito, which fleshes out the great character even more.

The first striking difference in the second film is the locations. The gunfights in the gritty streets of New York are gone. The scenes now shift from Las Vegas to Miami to Cuba, and senate hearings have become almost as ubiquitous as hit men. Women also start to appear. While in "The Godfather," they may have been present, they certainly never voiced an opinion. In "Part II," they start throwing their weight around, and are a general nuisance and distraction. There is still plenty of mafia-style action, but it's not nearly as heavy-handed. The times have certainly changed, and Michael Corleone seems more like a smart and sober Tony Montana than a Don trying to go legit.

Standing alone, this is probably a step below "The Godfather." Fortunately, it doesn't have to stand alone. "Part II" manages an almost impossible task: It somehow makes its predecessor an even greater movie than it was, while still effectively moving the story along. That makes it well worth the three-and-a-half hour investment it's going to cost you.

DVD Features:
Unless you're planning on laying down the cash for "The Godfather Collection," which isn't a bad move now that's its significantly lower in price, the only extras you're going to find is an audio commentary by director Francis Ford Coppola.