I, unlike a great majority of the population, didn’t think The Hangover was that great of a movie. I had several friends that not only yelled at me for this, but actually called me stupid. For one I’m, as aforementioned, not a fan of comedy. I thought The Hangover was blatantly stupid, and just an endless gimmick on cliché bullshit that would never happen to someone in real life. If those guys had lived that night they would have been in jail. I can change that position with The Hangover Part II. The liking it part. Not the believability. 

Where The Hangover failed, The Hangover Part II conquered. Sure, they throw in some of the same clichés that they tossed into the first one. Shit, they even recycle. What they did manage was to bring laughs into it without over exaggerating the story. Some of these events take place right next to each other. The only illogical events, again, occur with Stu. 

Two years after the story in The Hangover the group is headed to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. Zach Galifianakis’s (“Bored to Death,” The Muppets, Due Date) Alan regrettably in tow. Phil, Bradley Cooper (The A-Team, Limitless, He’s Just Not That Into You), is still being his sexist misogynistic vulgar self. Stu, Ed Helms (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Cedar Rapids, “The Office”), is still the cautious one. Doug, Justin Bartha (Failure to Launch, Nation Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets), is still the guy that basically disappears at the beginning of the movie. I seriously don’t even understand why they keep him as part of the series. In the first one he’s only in about 10% of it. They upped his level of participation to about 20% in this one. New to the group is Teddy, Mason Lee, the younger brother/prodigy of Stu’s soon to be wife, Lauren, Jamie Chung (Sucker Punch, Grown Ups, Sorority Row).

In the very beginning of the movie Stu declares that he doesn’t want a bachelor party. He doesn’t want the same fucked up shit that happened in Vegas to happen again. What this implies is that this group of friends can never get together without blacking out and going fucking nuts. For some fucking reason that I couldn’t really grasp he invites Alan along. Mainly through peer pressure. Once in Thailand they agree to keep it simple. One beer on the beach. Teddy included. Just like the first film they wake up in a completely trashed hotel room. Some fuck ups are instantly visible. Like Alan’s shaved head. Others are revealed. Like Stu’s facial tattoo. At first they think Doug is lost again, but they find out he’s back at the original hotel completely fine. It’s Teddy who is lost this time…complete with missing finger. Once again the trio must backtrack and discover where they were, what happened, and what the fuck happened to the missing party member. 

Ken Jeong (“Community,” Zookeeper, Pineapple Express) as Mr. Chow has a larger presence in this one. Including a rather disgusting penis joke. 

The film, like I said, is a repeat of the first one. Almost the exact same central plot/details. With an ending that screams stereotypical. Right down to a musical number and a family situation that would never actually fucking occur. I can’t honestly tell you why I thought it was more entertaining. It just was. 

So. If you were a fan of the first one you will no doubt love this one. In fact, if you are a fan, you’ve probably already seen it and this review means absolutely jack shit to you. But hey, you can always look forward to The Hangover Part III. Scheduled for release next year. 

1. 12th-planett likes this
2. deistbrawler posted this