Re: New/Rented Movies: Now In Smell-O-Rama!
I'm not buying your "no point" argument, Handy. The third film definately had something to say, and I think it was something that was worth exploring. The story, to me, seems to be about two things: (1) Michael's inevitable comeuppance and (2) his frustration, inability to "get out" since he's trying in vain to avoid said comeuppance.
Most of what happens in the story contributes to one of those factors. The Vatican and Joey Zasa sideplots feed directly into his lameduck attempts at redemtion. I'm sure the predictability of the ending hurts the film, but I was just as fascinated at seeing Michael struggle to avoid that end. To see him struggle in a way we never saw him struggle in the first two films. Kay's ability to see through and dismiss Michael was quite a treat as well.
If you don't see a "point" to all that, then I suppose you're right: part III won't do anything for you.
You do have a point about the writing, though. The rest of the film (the way it was shot, the editing style) I thought was very consistent with the first two, but the writing did seem a little lazy. Especially Michael's scene at Don Tommasino's coffin, the dialogue (or in that scene, the monologue), seemed to have too much of a "tell the audience what's going on" quality to it.
In my own view, they should have left that saga at the end of Part II with Michael, alone. III tried too much to fit itself into a very neat, tidy story. It was like the proverbial third-wheel on a date. On its own, it would probably be a pretty decent movie. Trying to insert it into a masterpiece was setting it up for failure and a good deal of criticism for everyone concerned.
I think the argument against III might be better suited as saying that it should have been an entirely seperate film. As you note: the ending of part II is so strong, that it provides an excellent ending to the story. He is alone. He has isolated himself from everyone he loved. In becoming his father, he has undone everything his father had established. What more punishment do we need Michael to go through?
I would still make the argument that I made above: that it's interesting to see Michael's weak attempts to avoid the inevitable.
