Better than the original? Only if you value scope over subtlety. The
twin narratives cut between the early life of Sicilian immigrant Vito
Corleone (here played by De Niro) and the empire-building of his son
Michael (Pacino) half a century later. Coppola is now working on a
self-consciously Grand Scale; his theme is the corruption not only of
the Mafia (where Vito's career began in defence of his family,
Michael's annihilates it), but of all public life. The dominant colour
is dried-blood red: the kind of obvious over-statement that's why -
though viscerally powerful, with fine work especially from Duvall,
Cazale and Shire - this ranks below The Godfather.
