The old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” immediately comes to mind after seeing the continued shenanigans of Phil, Stu and Alan in “The Hangover Part II.” Of course, I’m talking about the one and only Wolf Pack that nearly brought Las Vegas to its knees and sent audiences home in stitches in their 2009 debut – “The Hangover.” Now, with a freshly fabricated tooth, the team heads east to Thailand where Stu is preparing to marry the gorgeous and completely out of his league Lauren (Jamie Chung of “Sucker Punch” fame). However, even when trying to stay out of trouble, the allure of the night, hardcore drinking and possibly getting roofied are too much to keep the Pack safe and alas, as the saying goes … “Bangkok has them now.”
Directed once again by Todd Phillips, “The Hangover Part II” is an insanely funny, disturbingly raunchy laugh-fest that builds upon the comedy established in its predecessor. With almost the entire cast returning for the party, the chemistry is so over-whelming brilliant, that you can’t wait for bad things to start happening.
Bradley Cooper (“The A-Team”), Ed Helms (“The Office”) and Zach Galifianakis (“Due Date”) are without a doubt, an unbeatable trio that knows how to keep the laughs going strong. Partner them up with the over-the-top styling of International Criminal, Mr. Chow (the one and only Señior Chang, Ken Jeong of “Community”) and you get some of the funniest, jaw-dropping, eye covering hilarity that you’ll experience this summer.
However, not everything is a sweet umbrella drink. There is a lot of stuff going on – hell, there’s even a cigarette smoking, drug dealing monkey in the mix. As the story starts to unravel, the film begins to have this “and then … and then … and then,” feeling to it. Clunkily, the situations move from one scenario to the next and for a short time, it feels a little forced. This does allow for some wonderful transition moments where the filmmakers can highlight the very strong soundtrack, but … you know … a little editing down would have helped the audience get back to the laughs faster.
But, with that being said, fans of the franchise will not be disappointed. Yes, some people will comment that this film is an exact repeat of the first film. That’s sort of a fair statement.
Sort of.
While, formula-wise, this film is nearly the same as the first film, I would argue that, because we know this trio so well now, their personalities, choices and motivations all help lead us (and them) into all new, all ridiculous situations. Plus, while the first film dug deep into the stereotypes of a night in Vegas, a stereotypical Thailand experience is incredibly different and the situations one can find themselves in are … shall we say, a little more compromising. Lost fingers, tattoos, strippers and bad choices are just the beginning.
Anyway, “The Hangover Part II” is a perfect retreat for adults this weekend at the movies. Foul in language, full of raunchiness and flipping out in fun, this film will get your funny bone working over time. Be prepared for seeing things that you may not want to see, and possibly being shocked in ways that will overtake the water cooler conversations after the long holiday weekend. Just make sure you leave the kiddies at home.
4 out of 5 Wheel-Chaired Monks Starting a Riot
