Did you like The Hangover? Do you want to see the same guys get even more messed up and do more ridiculously stupid crap? If you answered yes to these questions you are more than likely going to love The Hangover Part II. If not, avoid it like the plague because it’s more of the same from the original film.
This time around the “Wolf Pack” are in Thailand for Stu’s wedding to the new love of his life, Lauren (Jamie Chung). During a small beach celebration something happens to them and the next day the boys, minus Doug (Justin Bartha), wake up in a room in Bangkok with no memory of what went down. To make matters worse, Lauren’s younger brother Teddy (Mason Lee) was with them, and is now missing (Doug is back at the resort safe and sound). Now on a mission to find Teddy and make it to the wedding in time, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Stu (Ed Helms) must take on Bangkok before Bangkok takes them.
Unlike The Hangover, The Hangover Part II is not fresh or groundbreaking. Instead of a tooth missing, Stu has a tattoo on his face. Instead of a baby, there’s a monkey. Even Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) pops up. What works from the first film though is seeing these clowns try to piece together what happened to them the night before and find out how they ended up where they did without their friend. The structure is solid and it’s even funnier (albeit darker in many respects) when you place these guys somewhere like Bangkok.
The cast all deliver just as well as they did the first time around. Helms is definitely positioning himself to become the next big comedy star and is great to watch, but it’s Galifianakis that still generates the most chuckles. His child-like portrayal of Alan is just as hilarious now as it was three years ago. Cooper is Cooper and is cool as always (read my interview with him to see how cool he really is).
As a fan of the first film, I enjoyed The Hangover Part II a lot. I’ve seen it twice now, and both times it made me laugh and never once bored me or annoyed me. The only complaint I can muster is that I feel the setup takes a bit longer than it needs to for them to get to Thailand. But even those early scenes are entertaining and enjoyable. Go for a good time and don’t expect anything else and you should come out laughing.
Rating: 
Rated 18A
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Top image: A scene from The Hangover Part II. Courtesy Warner Bros.
