A more suitable title for the sequel to 2009’s breakout R-rated comedy, The Hangover Part II, would have been The Hangover Take II. It plays like a cover version to a popular song with familiar chords and riffs maestro Todd Phillips has chosen to reuse, which is ironic given there’s a short and completely out of place Billy Joel cover song performed in the film. Hangover fans will love it because technically it’s nearly the exact same thing they’re already proven to love.
Defying all odds, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) find themselves waking up extremely hungover in a dingy Bangkok, Thailand hotel room with no recollection of the previous night’s activities after sitting on a beach to celebrate Stu’s wedding. They’ll have to use scattered clues in the room and on themselves to retrace their steps and find Stu’s underage future brother-in-law who at some point during their “one night in Bangkok” vanished. No brother-in-law, no beautiful beach wedding with the lovely Jamie Chung.
While watching The Hangover Part II, I was hoping Bruce Willis would make a surprise cameo and come running around the corner in an appropriately sweaty wife beater yelling “how can the same thing happen to the same guy twice?” Like John McClane once said it did, and the Wolf Pack fumble their way through the streets of Bangkok until that anticipated “ah ha!” moment when things turn around and snapshots of the party night’s events can be revealed during the credits. Doug (Justin Bartha) again sits the debauchery out, though at least for different reasons. Criminal dufus Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) gets pulled in. Déjà vu doesn’t begin to explain the similarities of what the Wolf Pack experiences, as a group and on an individual level – especially Stu.
Though Phillips chose an uninspired story for The Hangover Part II, he at least gives audiences the unapologetic raunchiness that helped put the original on the map. Not even in-scene babies or monks are immune to the procession of profanity, immoral behavior and unflattering nudity Phillips dishes out with regularity. The Wolf Pack behavior and consequences in Bangkok make their Las Vegas adventures look like a trip to Disneyland, and some laughs will be had even when the small twists and turns are telegraphed from a mile away.
The Hangover Part II almost didn’t make it into theaters due to a rights issue with the Mike Tyson tattoo that ends up on Stu’s face. It’s no secret Tyson himself shows up, and he’s by far got the best cameo of the lot. Bridesmaids would be proud. One of the other high profile cameos involving a drug deal tied to Mr. Chow, however, is a complete waste of time.
The Hangover Part II is as The Hangover does so if you came away with a smile from the original, expect a similar response. For those seeking something a little more inspired and less recycled, a happy ending will only be found through love of the characters and the consequences of their idiocy.
– Dan Bradley
