Monday, May 30, 2011

Mechamania Review: The Hangover Part 2

The wait is finally over.  The smash hit film The Hangover garnered itself a sequel in The Hangover Part 2 that was released this past Memorial Day weekend.  I think the first film caught everyone by surprise of how good and funny it actually was.  A lot of us have been to Vegas and know how crazy it can possibly get which in the first film took crazy in Vegas to a whole other level.  That and the fact that it was starring pretty much unknown actors that hadn't hit super stardom quite yet.  Of course now pretty much everyone that starred in the original is a major movie star but the big question is....can they pull it off again?  Does this film bring anything original to the story?  Are we in for the same story in a different locale?  Is the comedic juices and chemistry between the cast replicated again to bring us a whole other barrel of laughs and not a complete waste of our money?

I will try and keep this review as spoiler free as possible but to be completely up front about this film.  If you have seen the first film then you have seen this film already.  I will get to that later so let's get on with the story.


We find Stu (Ed Helms) getting married to a Thai bride in her home country of Thailand.  Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha) and Alan ( Zach Galafianakis) are all along for the trip to be in Stu's wedding.  Also along is Stu's fiance's little brother Teddy played by Mason Lee.  After a quiet night on a quaint Thai beach drinking a couple of beers we find Phil, Doug and Alan hung over yet again in a strange hotel room somewhere in Bangkok Thailand with no memory of what happened earlier.  Doug left earlier and is still with the wedding party but Teddy is no where to be found.  You guessed it.  Teddy took the role of Doug and the guys race through Bangkok trying to find Teddy in time to bring him back so Stu can get married and everyone can live happily ever after.  The end.  Like I said earlier.  If you saw the first film then you have this film pretty much figured out already.


This film was directed by Todd Phillips who also directed the first.  This film is funny.  It has funny parts in it.  I should say it has more raunchier and gross parts in it.  What happened to slapstick suggestive comedy in films and not sick nudity to make people laugh?  Don't get me wrong.  I laughed along with everyone else because it was funny but it makes you wonder sometimes where our sense of humor has gone.  The acting was great.  Everyone was the same from the first film including Mr. Chow played by Ken Jeung.  All of the wives accompany the boys to Thailand all played by the same actresses in the first film and their is even a small cameo by Jeffrey Tambor again as Alan's dad.  As you can guess the heart of the film is wrapped around Alan and his half retarded and just plain stupid childish behavior.  Stu isn't far behind as the "everyday man" who has a "demon" inside of him that rares it's ugly head every time he is wasted.  Phil is the eye candy and well Doug is just kinda there and not really in the movie that much at all.

So let's get down to the nitty gritty of this thing.  It is an utter and complete practically frame by frame remake of the first film.  I said earlier that it is funny and it is.  It has a lot of funny parts in it but frankly I am almost insulted that they brought nothing new to the table.  As I said earlier.  If you saw the first then you know what is going to happen in this one.  Same formula exactly.  Perhaps that doesn't matter for the general audience.  I can't keep but thinking that someone along the line made thousands or if not millions to write this movie when it is completely ripped off from it's predecessor.  Let's do the exact same thing as the first but put it in a foreign country.  I guess I am going over board saying it is frame for frame remake.  It does have some changes but more or less sticks to the original.  Mike Tyson is back but instead of actually integrating him into the film somehow he shows up for a shotty cameo at the end.


Early predictions is around $130 Million for this film over the past weekend.  That is a definite blockbuster and I have already read quotes from the director for a third and final film.  Please change it.  Change up the formula.  Do something different.  I can't be the only one that feels this way.  If your looking for a good laugh then this film is for you.  I wouldn't suggest anything but an early showing and perhaps a couple of shots of Jack Daniels before hand.  If your looking for an exciting sequel with twists and turns and actually adding to the Hangover series then look somewhere else because it's not here!


I'm really swaying about the 3 out of 4 rating but keeping it for now.  My wife said it deserved one but it wasn't that bad!

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