The Godfather Part II proves to be the spectacular sequel to the equally classic The Godfather and continues the story of the complex and elaborate Corleone family. Now revolving around Michael Corleone as the head of the family, Michael attempts to follow in his father's footsteps to continue to gain power, money, and loyalty in a changing world. The mafia and mobsters are beginning to deal with more issues than ever before, and Michael Corleone is no exception. Michael must endure through hardships upon hardships, including betrayal from those closest to him, marriage problems, financial woes, and backstabbing partners that wish to usurp Michael's power right before him. As all of this goes on, Michael begins to wonder how his father became so successful in the first place, with the movie simultaneously telling the story of a young Vito Corleone. Taking place in 1917, Vito Corleone's story as an immigrant coming to America before knowing any English is told as well. Vito continues to push past the natural barriers standing in his path, as well as continue to embark on a journey that ends with him becoming one of the most powerful mobsters of all time. As both of their stories are told, it becomes quite clear that both Michael Corleone and Vito Corleone must endure through intense hardships, but they tend to do it in slightly different manners. 
 The Godfather Part II manages to transform into an epic, sprawling world of mobsters and betrayal galore. As Michael Corleone begins to take head of one of the largest mafia families in the world at the time, he begins to learn that his father's job as the previous head was no easy task. Michael Corleone must deal with nearly every possible problem that could possibly be thrown at him, and it seems like Michael's entire life is beginning to crumble. Dramatic in its entirety, the evolution of Michael Corleone is such a startling story within itself, acting as one of the core frameworks of the film. Michael tells his wife that he is going to make the entire Corleone family clean one day, but despite this, Michael finds himself going ever deeper into the dangerous and intense world of mobsters. As the entire world seems to betray Michael, it seems like he doesn't even know who's truly loyal to him anymore, which means Michael might have to eliminate more people than he could have ever possibly guessed, including some that had once been incredibly close to him. 
 The Godfather Part II mostly succeeds at its highest point when it showcases the compelling contrast between Michael and Vito Corleone. The simultaneous storylines balance with one another beautifully, brilliantly comparing the difference between the methods of father and son. With both stories being amazingly well-written and well-composed, it becomes easy to see how the concept of power has fueled both of them. With the prospects of love and loss affecting both of them, viewers can't help but become lost in wonder at seeing how Michael Corleone fails where his father succeeded. While Vito Corleone helped to work his way to power and eventually create the towering mafia family, Michael Corleone feels as if there's nothing in his power to prevent the slow destruction of all of his father's life work. 
 The Godfather Part II proves to be a true cinematic masterpiece that combines together the strongest elements of the original film and might just prove to be slightly better. Through the infusion of meaningful and profound performances from Al Pacino's Michael Corleone and Robert De Niro's Vito Corleone, father and son both shine as some of the most significant characters in the entire film. Comprising together a work of art that travels back and forth through time to highlight the progress of the Corleone crime family, the movie brilliantly continues the story of the beloved original. Instead of serving as some unnecessary sequel, the movie is triumphant in the fact that it solely acts as a continuation of the same terrific story. As one of the most highly respected films of all time, there's no doubting that the movie is more than deserving of its impressive 97% from Rotten Tomatoes. Without a doubt, this is an absolute must-see that stands out for its captivating and compelling characters. It's that phenomenal.