I think he didn’t come out guns blazing because he was contemplating his choice but also because he wanted to look them in the eye before killing them. For him it wasn’t business, but personal.
Combining what the movie tells us with what the scene tells us about Michael: -The movie: he is loyal to the family, smart, focused, can be cold and calculating and, being a marine captain hero from the Pacific theater, extreme violence is known to him. Also, he entertains the idea of not joining the family business, which is why he joins the Marines to fight for US interests, he knows things are changing in the country and being a citizen is not enough any more, you need to prove your loyalty to the Country if you want to get ahead. So, he wants to kill Sollozzo and McCluskey because they are a threat both to his father, his family and the family interests. -The Scene: when he pulls the trigger we hear the high pitched noise of the subway brakes, meaning that he has made the decision to pull the trigger, fully aware of the consequences for him- his life out of the family business is over, now he is committed. But...before he does that he actually engages Sollozzo in conversation, it's the first time he meets the man and he wants to get his full measure. What he sees is very disturbing, this is not some thug, this guy has the poise and assurance of a Don. Michael does not believe the Turk is the hunted one, this guy has influence and money, enough to buy him a NYPD Captain as a bodyguard! Who is Sollozzo, who are his backers, who is protecting him? That is why he doesn't come out guns blazzing, he wants to find out more, until he realizes that the Turk is no fool and will give away nothing. So he has to go. Also, Michael's calculating side prefers to increase the chances of success of killing them by decreasing the range to almost point blank. This way he can avoid hitting any of the other customers by mistake.
IMO Michael sat back down because he had been in battle during the war. He knew a close up ambush stands a better chance of success than an ambush at distance. By returning to the table he turned Sollozo’s radar off. Sollozo was nervous about the bathroom break and watched Michael come out. Shooting then could have missed. To get them both, Michael knew he had to get up close so he sat back down to close the distance to his prey.
I never looked at it as Michael was his favorite child of course he loved all his kids but I looked at sonny as his favorite. And the reason why I don't think he came out of the bathroom blasting is because I think they want to show how cold Michael was going to start being
@@ImDino Yeh thanks, and you don't have to be a woman or gay dude to recognize that he was daunting and sophisticated as a mafia man! Marlon Brando looked great too, so did Robert De Niro in the second Godfather
I think Michael didn't come out guns blazing because (bear with me): He assessed the distance between him and them from the bathroom and realized he could miss them and put himself at a huge disadvantage, also putting bystanders at higher risk if it turns into a shootout due to him missing his mark. Also, he realized once he sat back down he bypassed their assumption he was unarmed and could lull them into a level of comfort (McCluskey chowing his veal and Sollozzo still talking) which would allow him to get a "drop" on them to hit them at point blank range and increase the rate of success of the goal. For him, this was business AND personal. Sollozzo ordered the hit on his dad, and McCluskey socked him and broke his jaw. He wanted to see their demise as close as possible with no chance of their survival and have satisfaction in the end result. Just my take
While they were still planning Clemenza showed micheal the gun and how to do it and even how to ditch the gun but do it in a way that suggest you still have it
@@ejayatx yeah that too. I always thought that was part of the "lull" of making them think he was just chilling, but he already had his mind made up. He would never be the same again
Many at the studio were skeptical of Pacino. Robert Deniro, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Robert Redford, & Ryan Oneal all tried out for the role of Michael, but Coppola was convinced that Al was perfect for the part & fought for him. His instincts were proven to be right!
Don Knots would have been great in the role. Only, when he went to shoot Sollozzo and McCluskey; he would have had to carry the bullets in his front pocket.
3 glaring mistakes = Michael got the Silver Star NOT the nNavy Cross. Michael was not in the Army during WW 2, nor a Naval officer either. He was a Marine Corps officer.
@@daveyburton3557 Silver Star was the highest decoration shown on his uniform during the film. If he received the Navy Cross it had to be after we see him in uniform.
I am going to disagree with that assessment respectfully. I haven't read the novel but Michael was in the Marines and fought in the Pacific. Regardless of what some may say, war especially hand to hand fighting is brutal and will leave a lasting impression on a man's pysche. We don't know how brutal his combat service but judging from typical combat actions in the pacific that the Marines undertook - short but extremely intense and vicious (See HBO's The Pacific for some visual examples), as well as Michael's wounds and medals, it's more than likely Michael was permanently changed and or damaged by such experiences. War makes a man cold and dull his senses to violence but also teach a man to utilize his survival instincts and natural abilities. Michael knows what he has to do as a soldier in combat situations. To him this is just a change in uniform and field of battle. He probably looks nervous because he doesn't relish reliving the trauma of killing and close combat which is something he more than likely would have experienced in the Pacific fighting in the Marines. when Michael drops the gun, we assume it's bc of Michael being in fear of his actions. However if he's a vet that has seen much combat, I would argue thay after killing Solonzo and McCluskey that what you see is actually disgust and or possibly fear that Michael may come to enjoy his cold capabilities to kill that were first shown in combat. We see later in both Part 1 and in Part 2, Michael's no longer trying to go back to being a civilian but rather embraces the cold lack of humanity and further fall into darkness that he would have initially developed from being in battle. Sonny totally underestimates Michael's ability to fight when he makes the comment about getting up close and blowing a guys brains all over his suit because he probably had to experience something close to that in combat (albeit uniform rather than suite). Michael's military experience plays a very crucial but underappreciated role in the shaping of the behavior and actions we see Michael commit in the films.
They were too far away. I think Michael knew he needed to be closer to them. Clemenza gave Michael the standard operating procedure for this kind of thing. It goes without saying that Michael can tailor his approach for maximum chance of success. Edit: by the way, I think Michael is the ONLY representative who could kill Sollozzo. Michael was an outsider, a civilian, and that's why Sollozzo was vulnerable. Haha, imagine Sollozzo sitting at that table with one of the Corleone family's proven killers!
Also of note, the "standard operating procedure" had failed to kill Vito when he was buying oranges. Michael wanted to leave no chance of that happening.
Yep….zero chance Sollozzo takes a meeting with ANY active member of the mafia family. Even with the precautions he felt comfortable with Michael cause he was a “civilian”. That plus McCluskey’s presence and their intricate preparations enabled it to happen. Even then it’s clear The Turk was extremely guarded.
Also of note, the traditional street-style "guns blazing" approach had failed to kill Vito when he was buying oranges. Michael, a trained marine, would have wanted to leave no chance of that happening. That, and the sound of the approaching train would have muffled the gunshots. He might not have planned out that last part. It's probably more of an "informed instinct."
Precisely, people like Vito, Sollozo, Michael, etc are highly observant and can figure out a gun blazing assassination attempt,seconds before it would even happen.
You said we don’t know Michael’s plans after the army. In the book he said he was going back to college and told Kay he wanted to be a teacher. Those were his plans before the attempt on Vito’s life. Also in the book only Sonny laughs at Michael’s proposal to kill Sollozzo and McClusky. However Mike stands up and warns him he better quit laughing. Sonny says “I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing at how things turned out. I’ve been waiting on you to drop this war hero college boy persona you’ve been wearing and come and be my right arm so we can kill these fucks who are trying to destroy our family”. I’ve always disliked how Coppola mishandled that scene. It totally changed the dynamics of the Sonny/Michael relationship.
I disagree with thr usage 'mishandling '. The book and movie versions of Michael Corleone is different. In the books, he pocess the warmth and empathy of his father, while in the movie, he scores a bit lower in that criteria. The book version of Michael is much more open to Sonny than in the movie, that is why he is showing his frustration leads him to be angry to Sonny. But in the movie, Michael is much colder (also a bit experienced in cold communication tactics)that he don't ask that question, so we don't get to see Sonny's monologue.
It seemed like he was nervous after leaving the restroom, but also that he wanted to shoot them face to face instead of in the back. It was personal to him.
I'd argue that Darth Vader didn't either. It was a father saving his son it doesn't exactly redeem you from a evil life. There were a lot of Sith that had good moments but they were not good.
There was also Santino’s misconception that Michael, a fully trained Marine, was not trained to be a killer. Up close and personal. When that is exactly how he was trained. It was both his character and his training in patience that ultimately made him the best to become The Godfather, as unlike the emotionally motivated Santino, he could not be lured into a reckless action over the beating of his sister. Michael’s full ruthlessness is given in the line when asked what do you do after you have killed McClosky and Sollozo. His response was “sit down and finish my dinner. “ this could only be said by someone who has no compunction over killing someone. Clemenza’s retort of “ Stop joking” meant that it was understood the viciousness of Michael’s character. Even before these killings, Michael is the cool one that comes up with the way the story would play out by using the media of the time, ( newspaper scandals) and that because of Michael’s non involvement in the family business, that he is the one least likely to be suspected, by either the rivals and the public. While the Corleone family is fictional, anyone that has knowledge of the 5 New York families, would recognize the factual history fictionally portrayed, as a conglomerate of the post WWII actions of the power plays of the families. Even with names being changed, each family is easily identifiable . Another mistake is that the Corleone family lived in Hell’s Kitchen. They did not, they are pictured as being in “Little Italy”. This shows a complete ignorance of the underworld territories in NYC. Hell’s kitchen was Irish territory, the lower east side was the Jewish territory Etc. That there were crossover alliances, between the underworld operations is portrayed by Hyman Schilicowsky.( Roth) and McClosky .
@@urkersen5246 i noticed he became aware of the loud train noise while getting the gun in the bathroom , and the movie shows he can masterfully improvise strategy on the fly. just like when he used enzo the baker to buff away the men coming to the hospital to kill his dad
We got to see old thomasino' after he got his legs shot- gunned. Then we see in the second film where he helps Vito back in corleone. I wish there was more lore about that character, since Vito trusted thomasino so much. The novel :La Familia Corleone" might provide more info, but too busy to read it.
Michael was smart and knew what the family was into from the jump...tried so hard not to be like his brothers and father...after vito got shot up that's when micheal switched up...he was clean but saw how dirty the underworld truly is after they tried to finish vito at the hospital
Michael, easily the most intelligent of the Don's sons, is gifted with great intuition. Swiftly assessing the situation, he instinctively realizes upon re-entering the dining room that his foes are on high alert, with undiminished attention focused upon him. He is shrewd, immediately comprehending the instant isn't optimal; if he plays along for another moment or two, sits back down, and keeps quiet, the two of them will perhaps relax just enough for him to effectively gain the upper hand, provided he acts quickly and efficiently. The smart move. Clemenza was a brutal warrior, and while his instructions seem sound, Michael has learned through recent combat experience that one must be flexible, willing to revise plans as a situation unfolds. It's what allows him to pause and savor his second and third shots. Sweet revenge.
Pls do a “Tommy Shelby (from Peaky Blinders) vs Don Michael Corleone (The Godfather)” I think that would be a fair war since the two are quite alike...
I believe Vito getting shot is what shows Michael his family needs him. That he needs to "come home" in a sense and help protect his family. From here, Michael commits everything towards the family and unleashes his genius (as his father did) on the criminal underworld.
No, he was supposed to just let it drop from his hand as he walked out, but yeah, he forgot and visibly tossed it away. Can't say I blame him. Tough situation when that's not what you do all the time. I'm not clear on what he actually did in the Marines but I'm sure it wasn't that "up close and personal."
Liked and subscribed. Al Pacino’s acting in that diner scene with Solozzo and McClusky was brilliant. Showing the unease with just his eye movements. I think he was nervous and excited all at once, reliving in that moment how his father must’ve felt before Vito decided to kill Fanucci. It probably drew him closer than ever to his father.
Michael wanted to give them a chance to change direction and prove that he had the restraint to wait and listen (contrary to what Santino would have done). He also showed nerve and intelligence (unlike Fredo). Michael was establishing his character was OF the family but more carved out of fabric of his father. Patience and restraint were hallmarks of Don Corleone. Michael reflected that.
I think the reason Michael didn't follow directions is because of Coppola's direction, and brilliant movie making skills. From the minute Michael says It's not personal, It's strictly business, they start training Michael to carry out this plan. He is told over and over by Clemenza, and Sonny to come out blasting, leave the gun walk fast but don't run etc. Plus all the other variables (will the gun be there, will they go to the right restaurant etc. So by the time they reach the restaurant, the audience is all peaked to see if the plan will work out and everything will go as planned. Everything that happens in this scene is to build up this suspense. We all know what is supposed to happen, and anything that is not as planned ads to the suspense.
I think he didn’t come out guns blazing because of the fact that it was such a big turning of life act for him that he wanted to do it while looking them in their eyes and at their level. Also, it’s more measured, controlled and orderly which is something that Michael is. Also why, damage the owners restaurant with bullet holes every where endangering civilians when he can look his enemies in the eye and be more sure of hitting the target. Guns blazing and blasting is more of a sonny approach.
@@andrejones5441 It was indeed in motion, with DiCaprio as young Sonny and De Niro again as Vito Corleone, but it was scrapped when Mario Puzo died. Indeed, it would have materialised had Puzo not died.
I choose to think that Michael got too nervous to follow through on Clemeza's instructions during the scene at the restaurant. However, it would be consistent with the character's portrayal as a cunning strategist if he quickly understood at that moment that the sound of the train screeching in the background would give him an audible cover of sorts while he shot the gun - and thus waited accordingly.
When first watching it I agree. I think when he sat down he was ugh great plan is jacked up cause he was nervous then the train comes as another opportunity and in a way a msg of once he pulls the trigger there’s no going back. Also the comment Sonny said to him bout you gotta get up close and not shot ppl from several yards as he kinda mocked him. Plus it was personal for him.
@@valdivia8383Those are some great insights. I swear it’s these types of layers in the narrative that draw me back to this movie. The cinematographic choices that Coppola made are not just artistic, but they enrich the narrative as well. It really is incredible.
As I see it, Michael only became involved to protect his family as Vito trained all of them and he justified what he did as the lesser of 2 evils.Then when Sonny died he was the only one to succeed his father, Fredo couldn't run the business, and he justified it again as protecting his family. Michael pretended to hate it but secretly enjoyed it, he was good at it. When he has Fredo killed that unravels the lie he built his life around.
As what Clemenze says, Solozzo knows Michael is a civilian and not involved in the family business so the latter was confident that Michael will never do such move but they are wrong. Michael is too smart and thinks ahead, he knew whatever happens their rivals will kill his father. And on that scene that he thinks first before he shoot the two, one thing comes to mind, Michael thinks who is reallly behind Solozzo in New York and how did this unknown guy bought a Police Captain as his protection, I mean you cannot just kill your enemies without knowing who really is behind them.
3 points come to my mind - 1. Michael was a soldier, he had values of Army. So, he could not shot enemy from behind. He had to shoot his enemies face to face looking into their eyes like a real soldier and war hero. 2. Before shooting them, one more last time he wanted to make sure that in order to save his father, there was no other option but to shoot them on the face. 3. Like a real soldier, he had to make sure that the enemies die before he runs for his life so that there would not be any bullets hitting him from behind, as its taught in Army to cover your back and to make sure you don't catch a bullet at your back.
Sonny was not mocking Michael and his plan. The movie played the scene out differently. In the book Sonny says to paraphrase. "So you're a Coreleone after all." And hugged his brother.
He didn't really turn to the Dark Side until he didn't get the guarantee from Solozzo he wanted. Then he was all in, no turning back. That's when his whole countenance changed.
Michael didn't come out blazing because after the first shots fired (in a rush) there was no guarantee he would hit the second target. By returning to the table, Michael keeps everyone at ease.
11:42 "Why did Michael decide to get involved personally? The Corleone family had hundreds of qualified killers, but Michael knew they wouldn't be able to pull it off (...)" It's far simpler, he was one of the only guys they would have had dinner with. They wouldn't have gone to dinner with a soldier or whatever. It would have to be a trustworthy top guy, like Michael. I'd say it was more a matter of possibility than of ability.
Michael Corleone is easily THE GREATEAST MOVIE HERO OF ALL TIME!’ NOT THE VILLAIN!! A nice guy who just wanted to save his family from getting killed by a bunch of murdering businessmen because his father didn’t want drugs to ruin the communities and reach the children. Michael had to become the ultimate killer to prevent those he loved from perishing. It was either the emenies or the family. No in betweens. Unfortunately, he would become a tragic hero nearly losing all those around him in doing so. Very misunderstood movie character who has pain written all over his face and eyes.
Seeing a character change is what storytelling is all about. Watching Michael change from a morally upright future mathematics professor to a ruthless head of a crime family was fascinating, sobering, and horrifying. He takes the step of killing salazzo and Captain McCluskey because he feels like he has to to protect his father. The scene where he's sitting there not listening to salazzo as the background noise grows louder and louder reflects the inner tone moral of his mind about making that choice, from a story perspective he couldn't have just come out blazing. It had to reflect the agony of that decision.
That being said it was all ridiculous. Once they knew where the meeting was to be held, Michael didn't have to be the one to pull the trigger. They could have gotten any hit band to show up, guns blazing. That would have actually been much easier than planting a gun behind the toilet, then risking the man who had no hit experience to kill an experienced police captain and a ruthless kingpin. You could argue that Michael wanted to kill them himself for personal reasons, but it doesn't explain why Sonny was so stupid as to go along with the plan. Once they decided that McCluskey could die, they could have had 20 guys show up there and not taking any chances.
the reason michael didn't shot first he wanted to figure more information from the turk then he realized the turk was more powerful then he appears to be
Young Al Pacino reminded me of Keanu Reeves. Both of them are gorgeous. They can pass as relatives even though Keanu Reeves is a mix of Chinese, Native Hawaiian and European (English, Irish and Portuguese).
Some one needs to do their homewoek! Michael Corleone received the Silver Ster not the Navy Cross, and he was promoted to Captain in the Marine Corps, not the Navy!
He does say in the senate hearings in GF II that he received the Navy Cross, and just to confuse things, he tells Kay in the novel that he received the Distinguished Service Cross, which is an Army medal lol. I don't know the first thing about uniforms and medals, but as a former Godfather tour guide in Sicily, I know my stuff when it comes to the book and movies. It would appear that the wardrobe department messed up in this case.
In RE: ribbon racks, I’ve seen active duty in all branches, (except very rarely USMC) screw up the order of precedence of their ribbon rack, not frequently, but it happens. Sometimes it’s simple, like flying it upside down. Special event, rarely seen, you really check everything, distances, symmetry the whole deal, some folks are more fussy than others.
Mike shot the Turk only once … whereas he shot the cop twice… though in the neck , he did manage to shoot each at least once in the head … not bad for a rookie killer…. And sonny was right… the army training might’ve gave him familiarity with guns and noises … still- to cold blooded shoot a person let alone two … an experienced cop and a hardened criminal ? That’s not an easy feat to complete… the story fails to mention anything about the driver waiting on the Turk outside, did sonnys men make sure that all Mikey had to worry about was killing sollozo ; then his path to Sicily was secured … it’s a detail we have to assume was taken care of obviously he made it safely to Sicily!
I always thought of Michael as the Corleone who took the path of crime against his will, forced by fate. He never wanted this life for him and Kay as he considered himself not like his siblings, but as the events went on, he got dragged in a world he never was interested in. The attack against his father, and later the murder of his brother Sonny left him no choice but to take over as Fredo was not fit for it. He had to look over his family, and while he still tried to reach his goals of making the family legitimate, the mafia world always kept dragging him back whenever he wanted out, gnawing at his person and leading to his death. The irony in all this, I think, is that he was probably the best Don Italy has ever had in its entire history without ever really wanting it. He was solely animated by his vow of protecting his family and nothing else, even killing his own brother in the process, and he surpassed all other mob bosses who were purely dedicated to this alley. An incredible, profound, fascinating character. And somehow, a man one cannot envy.
You mentioned the attack against his father, and the murder of his brother, but forgot to mention the murder of Appolonia which was an assassination attempt against himself. He knew there was never going to be a way out.
I always wanted to hear Michael tell Sonny to step off when he mocks Michael's comprehension of killing even as the recipient of a Congressional Medal Of Honor as Marine in the Pacific in WWII .
I liked this video and its content. But need to comment on one discrepancy. You said he enlisted in the Marines. Also, he got out of the Army. Received the rank of Captain in the Navy. You know those are three separate military branches right? You only left out the Air Force in Michael's tour. By looking at his uniform, he was only a Marine. And if that were true, he would be more then fine firing a gun at his enemy. WWII warfare experience would have made the hit at dinner feel as easy as blinking. The delay had to be about his life path changing. That is all. Like I said, I very much liked this video. Nobody is perfect so I'm doing my part to help clear things up. Have a blessed day!
Fantastic video, but just one thing -- Michael served in the Marine Corps, not the Navy (or Army). It may seem minor, but the reference to naval warfare misunderstands Michael's battlefield acumen. As a Marine who won both the Silver Star and Navy Cross, it must be deduced that Michael's war experience involved considerable amounts of infantry combat. This is important, in my mind, when considering Michael's comportment towards shooting Sollozzo and McCluskey himself. Sonny, Clemenza et al. may see naive innocence in Michael's cavalier proposal, but Michael's demeanor isn't simply his characteristically cold disposition; it's that he knows he's capable of killing at close range, no doubt having done it many times.
EXACTLY! Moreover, that makes a HUGE difference in his discharge rank at Captain! A captain in the Navy is far superior ranking to captain in the Marines!
His motive for killing the police chief and in particular Solozzo was to save his father. It was also to save the family, but primarily to save his father. When he first saved his father in the hospital he came to the conclusion he would have to fill in to save his family, because his father was fighting for his life and vulnerable. Killing Solozzo and the police chief sealed the deal in his commitment to working with his family. It was in some respect driven by his desire to protect his father and save his family that lead him down the path to eventually becoming Don. After that he was fully committed as Don and focused on avenging the family enemies and expanding the Corleone empire. When he killed Fredo the cosmic shock of what he had done woke him up to the fact that he had lost his soul in the process and become a monster - even worse than everything he despised about his fathers business before he became involved. Michael was actually fairly introspective and reflect, which was part of his dynamism. One of the famous scenes is him sitting on a park bench thinking about his life. It was a quality that was unique to him, that you didn’t see Sony doing at all. Don Vito did it somewhat, but he never really questioned the life he had lived. Michael did, which gave him dynamism. Toward the end of his life he even became very religious and had unusually honest conversation with God and seeking out a ‘true priest’. He even ended up repenting for killing Fredo to the future Pope. Michael had a huge character arc which was all over the place but still relatable because it was so human at some level.
Potential Mob war: Michael Corleone vs Pablo Escobar, for me I vote Michael. He was smart and patient. Pablo is impulsive and tempered kind of like Sonny. Yeah sure Escobar is advanced, but Michael has skills and can think ahead of him. Also, isn't Sollozzo as powerful as Escobar or no? If so then Michael can really have a chance at beating him. And if Michael is the most powerful mob boss in the entire nation, He can wipe the floor w/ Pablo, who ain't only that powerful in Colombia, but the Cali Cartel had also been as powerful as him right?
Michael re-enrolled in Dartmouth College after WWII. Tom Hagen was sad when he said he would kill Sollozzo and McCluskey. Like Vito, he did not want Michael to be a mafioso.
I think in the book it explains he didn't come out guns blazing because he saw two men sitting at another table and assumed they were bodyguards. Also because I think in the back of his mind he was actually interested in what they had to say. It wasn't until hearing their proposition that he realized it was all bullshit. So he moved forward with the kill.
They Were Waiting for a Move.also the waiter was in Line of Clean Shot.Comes Back Everyone Relaxes.Solid shot on The Turk.Double tap the Cap.The Wingmen look away and Raise THEIR Hands.Mike leaves and is on the Ship by the time the Cops Show.Hilarity does Not Ensue.
Michael didn’t come out blazing because he understood the depth of his actions & wanted to make sure he looked both men in their eyes before he pulled the trigger.
The reason Michael did not start shooting as soon as he walked out of the bathroom. Is because he wanted Captain McCuskey to finish eating the best veal in the city.
Why didn't Michael come out guns blazing? Okay, look at the movie through the lens of a classic tragedy: a tragedy is when a man has a good choice and a bad choice, KNOWS which one is which, takes the bad choice, and is destroyed by that decision. The restaurant scene is the pivot point for Michael. Everything he's said and done up to that point is just response, reaction, or talk. Now he has to be the actor, not the reactor. Once he starts shooting, he's committed. He knows this: once he shoots, there's no backing out, no "Oh, I was just defending XYZ." He's weighing that pivotal decision, trying to decide if he's ready to take a step he can't take back. You can see it in his eyes. That choice is the one that starts him down the path to destruction, thats makes this into a tragedy.
When Michael kills Sollozo he still has an out, he finds a beatiful wife who he truly loves and he would never jump Sonny (he might've ended up Consigliere). But when those 2 die he can never be the same again, he knows Fredo is unfit to be Dom and his dad is sick, it's his time to step up and Appolonia and Sonny's death put him in the right mind to do it.
Like Mohammed Khaled said in the comments, it became personal for Michael, it was like Michael was saying to himself: "You tried to kill my Father? I can't just shoot you in the back and run off into the night, I want to look you in your face and blow you brains out, I want you to see my face before you die.". Michael had said it earlier, it was just business but technically, it was personal. Might of been business to blast McCluskey though, knowing that if you got rid of him, you could have more control over the Police Department.
its up close and personal and something like this requires nerves of steel its not the same shooting someone into the mist and not knowing if you hit vs placing one in their skull and seeing every piece of their brain matter splatter over the spageetii
The REAL reason he didn’t “come out blastin’” like good ol’ Uncle Pete recommended was mainly due to the fact that he was aware that they would be focussing on him the second that bathroom door opened and them being both on edge with the beef with the family would more than likely mean they were prepared for him doing so. Hence why he sat down, continued eating and let them relax and let their guard down. However, Clemenza being the old head he was with decades of experience assassinating advised Michael to do that because there was a good chance they would search him again at the table upon return from the bathroom. This would avoid giving them that chance, but in the end, Michael got lucky and won the game because he allowed Sollozzo to get comfortable and start “slippin” as he would say!!