I caught "The Last Don II" on the channel True Entertainment (an offshoot of the True Movies channels, which always show old and crappy American TV movies) the other night, when my mum wanted to watch it, as she had seen the first "Last Don" series many years ago, and was curious to see how they had continued it. We were both disappointed. Why? Because "Last Don II" is actually a comedy. It may not be sold as one, but believe me, it really really really IS. For one thing, the music for TLD2 sounds like the spoof "Godfather" music that Alf Clausen always does in The Simpsons whenever Fat Tony and his crew appear in it (which is ironic, considering that Joe Mantegna - the voice of Fat Tony himself - appears in this too, as part of some outlandish dream sequences). And who composed the music for this? None other than Angelo Badalamenti, the man who gave us such memorable and inventive music in his collaborations with David Lynch. For shame. And then there's the acting. Is there any? Very little, it turns out. Most of the cast members are as wooden as an elm tree. (This isn't helped by the presence of both Kirstie Alley AND Patsy Kensit, who are both the dampest of squibs in an ocean of damp squibs in this series.) But a few of the cast who emerge unscathed from this include a very young Alison Pill (who deserved better material, but thankfully went on to be extraordinary in "In Treatment," "Milk" and "Scott Pilgrim"), Jason Isaacs (HELLO TO JASON ISAACS!) and one cast member who I thought was Stephen Root, but apparently isn't, but who near the series' end breaks out through the dull dirge that has gone before, and realises that he's in a comedy, and so acts accordingly by going completely over the top of OTT...and then they throw him off the top of a building. (Boo!) And then there's the death scenes, which are tragically mishandled. How is it possible that scenes involving a man getting crushed by a shipping container, a woman being blown up by a bomb in a box, a man being strangled in a prison cell, and so on, be the most hilarious parts of the whole series? It's amazingly awful, and breathtakingly bad. It's almost the worst thing I've ever seen...but I've also happened to see David Lynch's "Wild At Heart", which thus far remains the worst film I've ever seen. Anyway, you've been warned. Only watch "Last Don II" if you're viewing as a comedy, and have a steady stream of alcohol to numb the pain. (Watch with friends, as well, for maximum enjoyment!) =))

I saw this one first and I LOVED it. Then I went out and bought the first one. While the first one was excellent, this one is still nice to watch. I gave the movie an 8. But I give Jason Gedrick a 10!!!!!! I've always found him to be geeky and very blasé as an actor. But he is great in this role and he looks gorgeous! The only thing I really didn't like was the casting of Patsy Kensit. I never really thought Darryl Hannah was "the most beautiful woman in the world" she was okay. Kensit just doesn't compare to some of the other women who have played romantic roles in these movies - and her acting seemed choppy.Other than that, this movie is just like I said in the title - decent.

How can I justify a good review on this movie? Let's see...I can't. There should have never been a sequel in the first place. Though this movie was a big disappointment, it was way better than Mario Puzo's Omerta TV mini-series. Why, you ask. Because there was no Omerta TV mini-series based on the Mario Puzo novel. If you read the novel and watch the Omerta TV mini-series, you will understand. Anyway, if you decide to watch this movie(though I do not recommend it) I advise you to read novel first (if you have the time and patience), then watch the first part, and then the sequel. It should be more enjoyable that way...if that is possible.

The Last Don II was not written by Mario, or even based on any outline he came up with. I was glad it finally came out on video though, as I collect anything with David Marciano in it.Last Don II served a good purpose. It tied up a lot of loose ends, gave some closure to certain characters, and allowed us a more intimate peek into what happened when time caught up with some of them.It is a good advancement of the story line, tightly plotted, with some good twists and surprises. I enjoyed it, enjoyed the scenery, the sets, the costuming. The sets evoked a mood of unavoidable destiny, of the inflexibility of fate that surrounds some people.Tragedy was inevitable, the triumphs small, the power structure unbreakable. Its rare to see American history brought forward into modern situations the way this film did, and I think it succeeded at that.It seemed to be showing bits of a very small percentage of American culture, and there didn't seem to be much to attach it's message to the average viewer's life, and that seems to be a necessary ingredient for success in films. Still, I enjoyed the story, the way the film was put together, and the acting. I would have preferred someone older in the leading role, but that wasn't the story, was it?Though Mr. Puzo had nothing to do with the film, I still think it was a successful sequel to his work.