The Wolfpack Dissapoints The Hangover 2 Movie Review

The most anticipated sequel of the decade disappoints this true fan of the cast and story:

The 2009 comedy "The Hangover" was truly a masterpiece of comic genius blending a detective plot with raunchy shenanigans. It’s ironic that "The Hangover Part II" bases so many of its jokes on pure shock value (the exposure of the male genitals, yes the Full Monty) and desperately clings so dearly to the exact same formula of the original, right down to the plot and character actions. More of the same isn’t always bad and the sequel still delivers laughs, but the feeling of  been-there, done-that didn't leave me the entire film.

This time around Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married, the wedding with his bride-to-be (Jamie Chung) will be in Bangkok. Along for the ride are Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and much to Stu’s amazement, Alan (Zach Galifianakis). Two nights before the wedding, the Wolfpack along with Stu’s future brother-in-law Teddy (Mason Lee) have a toast, a drink and once again wake up in a thrashed raunchy hotel room with no memory of the night’s events. They have new damages to their appearance, a new animal companion (Tyson's tiger has been replaced by an awesome monkey), and Teddy goes missing.

It's disappointing how much the sequel grabs everything it can from the original. On the one hand, I don’t want to spoil anything, and yet I feel like they’ve already been spoiled. Almost every situation in The Hangover Part II has a counterpoint in the original Hangover. When it comes to comedy, people don’t want to hear the same jokes. They want new and improved. I'm afraid The Hangover Part II copies the first in to many ways and lost it's K.O. punch possibilities.

The Hangover Part II doesn’t really alter or improve on the first film. It's just on a grander scale being set in beautiful Thailand. More of the same may be the formula for some franchises, like Bond and Rocky, but The Hangover just isn't one of them. On the other hand I am a huge Zach Galifianakis fan so anything he does kills me but as a whole I think a little more time brainstorming and writing could have been the answer. Perhaps we will see another Hangover. Let's just hope we get another story and not just the same story set in a different location. I gotta give it a 70/100. C-.....B