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When I watched the Godfather III movie, it was part of the binge of the trilogy. Comparing the two movies with the final one, I felt something lacking. It was a good movie, but it was not a Godfather movie.
Many lament the lackluster performances of the cast, or how it lacked the subtle touch of the first two movies. Some even said it was a mediocre ending to an otherwise perfect series.
But I just recently heard that Francis Ford Coppola returned to the world of the Corleones, to recreate the finale into the masterpiece it should have been. And it was.
It regained the power of the first two movies, the subtlety of the action, and the muted performances of the actors. Now we can see the contrast between the brash and overly vocal Andy Garcia playing Sonny Corleone's bastard son and the depth and intensity of Pacino's Corleone. The performances that were found lackluster in the original is almost negligible with the reshots.
And as a controversial aside, when Winona Ryder bowed out as Mary Corleone, I believe it was the right choice. Not because she didn't act well, but it gave too much spotlight in a character that wasn't at the center of the story. She is more a side character acting as part of the Sonny arc, but it would have forced the storyline more in that direction than in the eventual death of Michael Corleone (I will not spoil the details).
The best part of the Godfather Coda, apparent from the meticulous crafting to be faithful to the source, is that the movie has regained gravitas. You can see it in the intensity and power of the major players, and you can see how the plot moves with them.
The Godfather Coda is the masterpiece conclusion to a masterpiece trilogy, worthy of the Corleone Legacy