Usually, the first film in a franchise shines brighter than the sequel, but this isn’t the case for one classic gangster movie, which is landing on the streaming giant Netflix very shortly. There have been some exceptional circumstances over the decades where the sequels have got higher ratings than the originals, such as Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Dark Knight and Toy Story 2.
However, one example that surpasses its original film the most is The Godfather Part II, which will be available on streaming services on September 25. The film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, matched the original movie’s 11 Oscar nominations but doubled its sweep of victories from three to six.
The Godfather II is a natural extension of the first film, which was released in 1972 and starred Hollywood heavyweights such as Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.
The 1974 Mafia epic follows Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) loss of power in the 1950s as he faces betrayal and an assassination attempt amid growing paranoia. The Godfather II also looks back on the life of his father, Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro), from his Sicilian childhood to his ascension to a crime boss in the heart of New York City.
It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96 per cent from critics and a 97 per cent rating from more than 250,000 audience reactions, with some even branding the movie a “masterpiece”.
One viewer penned on the website: “Masterpiece and the greatest sequel to a film ever made. Without a doubt, the greatest achievement in the history of cinema.”
Someone wrote on Google Reviews: “I do have to agree that calling Godfather Part II a sequel is rather insulting. It is one of those rare sequels that almost outdoes the first, and considering how amazing the first Godfather was that says a lot. The Godfather Part II is longer, but in some ways it is also richer. People may say like with the first it is slow and takes a while to unfold. Of course, but I think that was deliberate.”
Another penned: “Not many movie sequels are as successful as the first movie, but The Godfather Part II is even better! Pacino’s Michael Corleone( Godfather) is a remarkable performance, which should have won him the Oscar but didn’t. An injustice.”
Someone else echoed: “The Godfather Part 2 is a much better film than The Godfather. It is one of the best sequels ever made. This movie is the ultimate film of the 1970s. It outclassed other American films of that period, including Klute, All the President’s Men, The French Connection, The Sting, Jaws, and American Graffiti.”
The Godfather II lands on Netflix on September 25.
