Movie Review: The Hangover Part II

The first Hangover movie was truly stupid comedy at its finest. Who would have thunk that a movie tackling on what happens after having too much to drink and getting doped up would make for good laughs and crazy stuff? It's a wacked up concept, but director Todd Phillips had every conceivable element for disaster and a great cast right up his sleeve, and he created a picture perfect film of hilariousness that was certainly worth the price of admission to see in theaters or a DVD. Racking up millions of dollars in return for its success, a sequel was definitely going to happen. The only question is this: How do you top a trip to Las Vegas where everything went wrong and shit hit the fan for the group of Stu, Phil, and Alan?

Simple Answer: You bring them to a country where shit hits the fan again after another hangover escapade, and all hell breaks loose once more!

Movie: The Hangover Part II

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Jamie Cheung, Mason Lee

Directed By: Todd Philips

Bradley Cooper/ Phil, Ed Helms/ Stu, and Zach Galifianakis/ Alan are back... And this time, they bring their wacky escapades to Bangkok City! Two years have passed since their infamous adventure to find their friend Doug (Justin Bartha) and get him to his wedding, and now it's Stu's turn to tie the knot with his new and lovely fiancee Lauren (Jamie Cheung). However, the ceremony will take place in Thailand. Initially, Alan wasn't invited to avoid all the trouble from last time, but a little coercion and pity changed Stu's mind at the last minute, and the "Wolfpack" was reunited once more. Much to Alan's dismay, they are joined by Lauren's youngest brother, Teddy (Mason Lee), a gifted student who studies at Stanford University. After a somewhat uneasy wedding reception, the friends invite a hesitant Stu and Teddy for a beer amidst campfire and marshmallows in the beach.

The Hangover Part II Trailer

Unfortunately, Phil, Stu, and Alan wake up the next morning with a major hangover(again), finding themselves in a worn down hotel room in Bangkok. Amidst the confusion, Stu soon finds himself with a tattoo on his face, and Alan's head is completely bald. The room also contains a severed finger, a chain-smoking monkey, and one familiar face: Gangster and old acquaintance Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong). Panicking and later finding out that Doug is fine and Teddy is missing, the trio are forced to relive the same nightmare (in a strange city this time) to find their friend and get back to a wedding in time.

What can I say? This movie is pure laugh trip on imbecilic proportions to the max! Everything I saw here certainly justifies an R-18 rating that best keep kids away, lest they be exposed to all the stupidity, vulgar language, sexual innuendos/ excounters, and explicit nudity the film displays throughout its one and a half hour run. That's not to say that the film doesn't make sense. There's a coherent plot to be had for the most part, though it is quickly overshadowed by deliberate dumb humor, thanks mostly to the antics and machinations of Zach Galifianakis' character of Alan, who has the mind of an 8-year old and genuinely doesn't realize that his actions are to blame for the entire mess the group is in. He's was literally the star of the show in the first movie, and he shines out here yet again in the sequel, but that's not to say his co-stars don't share time in the spotlight. Ed Helms' character of Stu gets the brunt of the impact after the hangover escapade... and I mean that in a literal sense. Bradley Cooper on the other hand barely gets his hands dirty, but he has his fair share of trouble to contend with as well. Also, it's a surprise to see some familiar faces returning for the sequel, especially Ken Jeong's character of Leslie Chow. That idiot is a ball of laughs and danger, and wait 'til you see where his daring personality gets him in the sequel.

Overall, I liked what I saw with "The Hangover Part II" despite it being a carbon copy of the first movie's plight set in a different country. The first movie was full of surprises and kept the audience guessing what kind of trouble the "Wolfpack" were walking into. Here, you already have an idea of what to expect as they desperately try to piece the events of the previous night together, albeit with new gags and stupid humor that will surely be a ball of laughs for audiences looking for fresh comedy to see in theaters. I'd recommend this for brainless fun, and certainly for those who enjoyed the first movie.

Rating - 4/5