The Godfather Part III
R
Dec 25, 1990
Crime · Nearly three hours that feels longer than its predecessors due to uneven pacing.
Solid crowd-pleaser
7.5/10
IMDb
66%
Fresh
60
60/100
Metacritic
🎬
7.4/10
TMDB
The brief
The third Godfather feels like watching a beloved uncle try to recapture his glory days at a family reunion - there are flashes of the old magic, but something essential is missing. Al Pacino leans hard into Michael's tortured guilt, while Andy Garcia brings genuine fire as the ambitious young cousin who steals every scene he's in. At nearly three hours, it drags where the first two films flew by, though the Vatican intrigue and opera house finale deliver genuine thrills. Perfect for completists who need to see how the saga ends, but newcomers should definitely start with the first two.
operatic tragedy
guilt-ridden patriarch
vatican conspiracy
family legacy crumbling
aging don's last stand
melancholic farewell
The verdict
If you're a Godfather completist who wants closure on Michael's story and can appreciate flashes of the old brilliance despite an overlong runtime, this delivers enough Vatican intrigue and strong performances from Pacino and Garcia to justify the watch. If you're new to the series or expecting the tight pacing and consistent excellence of the first two films, start with those classics and consider this optional viewing at best.
Watch with
- 👤 Crime saga completists and Pacino fans
- ⚠️ Skip if you haven't seen the first two
Heads up
- Graphic shootings and assassination scenes (moderate)
- Helicopter attack with multiple deaths (brief)
- Intense guilt and emotional breakdown scenes (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Cast
- Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, George Hamilton
Official synopsis
In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in 1979 New York and Italy, aging mafia don, Michael
