The Godfather II is regarded as the only sequel to be as good as its predecessor. My opinion is that it is far better.

The story focuses on Michael Corleone, the new Godfather, and flashes back to tell the tale of his father Vito as a young man. These two characters are portrayed brilliantly by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

The performances are great on all accounts, as is the direction.

With this film I found I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. The story seems overly complicated at face value, but I found I understood more than I thought I did. And it was great.

I thought I'd not enjoy the film a second time round, but no I still loved it.

This chapter in the Corleone saga is better than its predecessor and Part III because of so many reasons. Part I I feel was not as interesting, and that Marlon Brando's Vito (many will disagree) was not as intriguing a character as Michael, or even De Niro's Vito. Part III was a decline in the trilogy while still a worthy end (in other words it fell short of Return of the Jedi as 'best final episode of a trilogy'. So much had happened between II and III that wasn't explained in detail and seems that it may have been pivotal - even Robert Duvall's excellent Tom Hagen character was just implied as dead, and no more so. Where's the 'closure' you US folk are on about (no offence)?

Anyway I think the three films are all amazing, but II stands proud among them all as the best of the lot, and the best film of all time.