As the biggest comedy of all time – $467 million worldwide – it seems a sequel was inevitable. Last time the “Wolf pack” went to Vegas, this time they tackle Bangkok. And what happens in Bangkok, maybe should have STAYED in Vegas. Director Todd Phillips had to know it’s impossible to top the enthusiasm, the audience discovery, and the spontaneity of what would end up making Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis household names. Of course we’re all comfortable with these characters and their antics, have seen The Hangover original probably ten times on Pay Per View or DVD, thus the director was smart to keep the same sequence of events in this: the phone call to the would-be-bride from Phil, the waking up with no idea what happened albeit this time in a sleaze-bag hotel, the missing friend, his missing finger, and the retracing of their night-before steps. Add in a chain-smoking monkey, Paul Giamatti and our tooth-missing Stu now with a Mike Tyson tattoo on his face, and you’ve got The Hangover 2. This time it’s Teddy (Mason Lee) that’s missing. He’s a talented sixteen year old genius child already accepted into Stanford, and that would be fine except he’s his father’s prize possession and brother to the bride, Lauren (Jamie Chung). Lauren is set to marry Stu (Helms) our lovable dentist, in Thailand. There are some laugh-out-loud moments like the bachelor party at iHop over the safety of blueberry pancakes and eggs, the ongoing Galifianakis antics, and Ken Jeong returning as the crazy, mouthy, gangster Mr. Chow, but the problem with this sequel is it somehow lacks the urgency of the original. What made the bromance so funny in the first place was that unlike most man-child comedies (think Seth Rogen) these guys squirmed at their bad antics and wondered “Oh no, what do we do now?” They were troubled by their messes. Yes, the Wolf Pack are back in full attack with Alan’s character the same out-there psycho to Stu’s sweet and shy hysteria, but it’s our sexy bad boy Phil who’s taken a back seat….his role still the sane, sexy, sweaty, unbuttoned shirt, calm one, but with an edge of “why care?” Is it because he’s now a stud star? Same drill, same formula and it works, just not as well as the first one. But still….make it and they will come. And fill every seat on Memorial Day weekend and into Fourth of July. Three tiaras
