Film Review – THE HANGOVER PART III

There sometimes comes the optimistic approach that a sequel may seize the opportunities to right the wrongs of its previous installment, or installments if so lucky. Of course in an ideal world, sequels would actually improve upon what preceded them, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves folks. The Hangover Part III has absolutely no such ambitions to do either. 2009’s The Hangover was an unexpected smash hit (deservedly so), and delivered solid laughs and introduced us to new misadventure icons in The Wolfpack.

The noticeably darker The Hangover Part II was rushed out two years later, rehashed nearly exactly the same plot and substituted Bangkok for Las Vegas, which came with far less funny results. The sequel was both a letdown and huge disservice to the initial fun we had with the series’ take on the bachelor party gone down the worst rabbit hole imaginable concept.

So our beloved Wolfpack returns for round three in what promises to (please) be the final Hangover hurrah. Phil (Bradley Copper), Stu (Ed Helms ), Alan (Zack Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha) find themselves in a plot that does not take any cues from the now tried (if not tired) formula, but somehow manages to succeed in delivering even less fun and laughs than the soulless 2011 sequel.

In a nutshell, the plot finds the bearded perennial man-boy Alan off his much needed meds which inadvertently results in him causing the death of his father (Jeffrey Tambor). Following an intervention, his best friends that anybody could have all agree to check him to a rehab center so he can one day again see the world with clear eyes. The Wolfpack never makes it to their destination. They are run off the road and kidnapped by goons led by a crime boss known as Marshall (John Goodman), who has a four years in the making vendetta against none other than Mr. Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong). Chow has also just escaped prison, and cue the inevitable Shawshank Redemption reference.

At this point the film turns into a violent road trip heist flick, finding very little in common with the obnoxious good time we enjoyed in the first installment. Marshall is hell bent on seeking revenge on Chow for swindling him out of millions of dollars worth of gold bars. The gangster of course keeps Doug hostage (and out of the main stage action as always), and sends the Wolfpack off to capture and deliver Chow to him on a silver platter. We follow the gang through a series of unfunny sequences and double crosses until Vegas ultimately becomes the setting for the big finish.

Sure the script does make a conscious effort to bring this trilogy’s overall story arc, dare I say, full circle by returning to where it all began: Las Vegas. We have get appearances from characters from the first film: Black Doug (Mike Epps), Jade (Heather Graham) and her son baby Carlos (who is now the four year old Tyler). They even manage to loop in Marshall via a throwaway mention during the first film as Black Doug’s boss.

What the film forgets for the most part is any actual big belly laughs or honest to God comedy. Characters we formally laughed at or laughed with are hardly the same bunch anymore. The ensemble work here is cold and detached, and lacks the killer chemistry that was once there. Long gone also are appearances from supporting players like Rob Riggle and Matt Walsh who added comedy weight and priceless scenes.