It didn't measure up to the first two entries, but all in all, it wasn't that bad. It tied together some strands and finished off the story. Sophia Coppola was a bad choice however. That she had no acting training was obvious.

While nowhere near as bad as its detractors claim, it is a real weak entry into the franchise. . .the daughter was a terrible actress, Kay was still a whining/irritating/worthless character, and Francis clearly made this one for the money. . .the best example of 3 stars ever. . .

I've written about this film before, but it pushes my buttons every time I see it mentioned or discussed. "The Godfather" is an American masterpiece, and "Godfather II" is, if anything, even better. Coppola resisted making "Godfather III" for years, as he felt he had said everything that needed to be said about the story in the first 2 films. But the studios kept offering him more and more money, and badgering him, and I guess the lure of it was ultimately just too much for him. However, if he was determined to make this 3rd installment, I wish he had tried to invest it with at least some degree of quality and realism, as opposed to idiotic melodrama. Where do I start? To me, the transformation of Michael Corleone from a coldly-calculating, reptilian murderer who saved his "Family" at the expense of his own soul, to a shrieking, gesticulating semi-hysteric wracked suddenly and inexplicably by guilt after a lifetime of gelid mass-murder was completely dishonest, totally implausible. Consequently, the picture is ruined right from the start for me. The killings are numerous and ridiculous (i.e. the helicopter shooting in Atlantic City, which is more appropriate for a comic-book than a movie purporting to be a serious drama examining organized crime). Good actors are totally wasted. John Savage walks on screen, and then walks off screen. Bridget Fonda has about 3 minutes of screen time. Andy Garcia, normally a fairly decent actor, plays Sonny Corleone's illegitimate son with all the menace of an oily lounge performer. Eli Wallach, as always, is great, but even his extraordinary talent can't transform this chicken s**t into chicken salad. In the finale, as his character shovels one poisoned cannoli after another into his mouth, my friend, who suffered through the movie with me, said, "Jesus, when is this guy gonna keel over so we can get outa here?" There's more, a lot more, but what's the point? Blaming the failure of this movie on Sofia Coppola always annoyed me too, and impressed me as disingenuousness of the most pusillanimous sort. True, Sofia's no actress, but this is a crummy movie, and if such talented and seasoned performers as Joe Montegna, Eli Wallach, and Al Pacino can't save this dreck, how in the name of God could Sofia Coppola? What's particularly infuriating is that there was a time when Francis Coppola was justifiably thought of as a cinematic genius, but his claim to that title evaporated into the ether a long, long time ago. With the making of "Godfather III", and other pedestrian films, he's become nothing more than a dependable Hollywood hack. Sometimes you have to wonder if Coppola sees Michael Corleone as his alter-ego. Where Michael became empty and dead with the en masse killings of his enemies and his brother Freddie, Francis Ford Coppola began the self-immolation of his own artistic soul with "Rumble Fish", and it's been downhill ever since. By the time "Godfather III" came out, that process of artistic compromise and sell-out was total. From the majesty of "The Godfather" to the puerile soap-opera of "Godfather III". Sad.

I'm tempted to call it a piece of shit.

It is, in comparison to the first two films, but taken on its own merits, its just bad.

Not nearly as bad as everyone says. Take away Sophia Coppola and Andy Garcia's acting and this could've been almost on par with the other Godfather movies. The helicopter scene and the line 'Everytime I think I'm out...' are classic.

Not nearly as good as the first one or the second as a matter of fact. Has the usual Godfather ending where every one dies including Michael. Not much of a plot and other than Al the star power is gone. Worth a look but a little disappointing.

Not quite up to its predecessors, but still quite good.

Nowhere near as good as the other Godfather films, it's still good, Pacino's performance is tour de force, but it just doesn't feel right to call it a Godfather. A must-see simply on the basis it's a Godfather film. Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone is unfortunatley unconvincing and bad. Summary: NOT HALF AS GOOD AS THE OTHER GODFATHER FILMS, IT'S STILL OK.