Two years ago, if I had mentioned the term “The Wolfpack,” it would have amounted to little more than utter nonsense, but today, almost everyone knows that I’m referring to the top-grossing R-rated comedy of all time. Prior to 2009’s The Hangover, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis were virtual unknowns in Hollywood, and even Ed Helms wasn’t likely to turn heads in public aside from the loyal fans of The Office or The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; but after working to piece together a drunken night in Vegas, the three became international superstars. No one expected a simple comedy about a bachelor party to break any records (Lindsey Lohan herself reportedly turned down the role that ultimately went to Heather Graham because she didn’t believe the film had any “potential”), but moviegoers responded with unprecedented enthusiasm, and though the core story didn’t leave much room for a sequel, no one questioned the appeal of The Hangover: Part II. Now set in Bangkok rather than Sin City, the idea of a Wolfpack reunion had been generating considerable buzz ever since it was first announced in July 2009. Despite a few well-publicized controversies during production and less-than-stellar critical reaction, I was ready for considerable laughs as I walked into the theater for The Hangover: Part II.
As much as it pains me to say it, the truth is that The Hangover: Part II is a colossal disappointment, less of a sequel than a mirror-image of the original with a slightly-tweaked story and different setting. Sure, there were plenty of laughs, but the shock and awe of the original story is completely gone…not only are some scenes exact carbon copies from the first film, but even the sequencing of the narrative is the same. I don’t know if Todd Phillips and the cast bought into their own hype too strongly or simply got lazy, but a sequel is supposed to continue a story, not retell it over again. I’m confident that if I had never seen the original Hangover, I would have enjoyed Part II much more, but no film series should ever force moviegoers to choose between two different installments in order to experience the same story. If you are a fan of the original, you are sure to enjoy The Hangover: Part II, but be warned, this sequel is nothing special.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
