Pure Complex

I got to see “The Hangover 2” yesterday. So what did I think of it? You’ll have to read below. “The Hangover Part 2” is about the wolf pack (Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug) jetting off to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. Stu’s plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes terribly awry.

Before deciding to watch this movie, I heard about the less than stellar reviews this film received by some. But I decided to view the movie for myself and see if it would be worth the watch. So was it worth the watch? Yes and No. This film follows in the same footsteps as the original ‘Hangover’ movie; unexpected scenes that push the limit, funny one liners, surprise guests, and a little bit of wonder for what will happen next. But suddenly, to me, a lot of the scenes started to look familiar. At one point you begin to know what ‘might’ happen next if you remembered the first movie; and all of a sudden that sense of wonder flew out the window. I can’t undercut this film by saying it wasn’t funny (because I laughed a lot), but I did expect more of a different storyline that wouldn’t bring me back to the first film. What made the first movie great was the story, the funny, and everything else combined. But with this film, it just felt like something was missing. Again it wasn’t the absolute worst, but it wasn’t the best. To me, this isn’t the sort of movie I would bring my young kids too, if I could help it, but again you’re the parent and it would be your decision.

The acting was good in this film (if you don’t count the wives performances) . Bradley Cooper who plays “Phil” acted well; his character is a**hole and he managed to pull it off. Ed Helms who plays “Stu” also acted very well; his character is still a pain in the ass and he will make you laugh. Zach Galifianakis who plays “Alan” was his usual funny self and acted well in this movie. Although I felt he could have been funnier (maybe he was being held back), he still did well. Justin Bartha who plays “Doug” and actor Ken Jeong who plays “Mr. Chow”, also acted well in this film. The monkey, in this film, stole the show and also did an incredible job. But what surprised me the most was the absence of former President Clinton in this film; I guess all the claims were false or maybe something else happened.. who knows.

All in all, this movie left me with just an ‘alright’ feeling. I don’t think this was a bad film; it was funny, it pushed the limit, surprised you in some moments, and kept you glued to the screen. The problem came when this film started to remind you of the last ‘Hangover’ movie, and begin to feel un-original and somewhat predictable. It’s safe to say this film has left me torn. I give this movie a 6 ½ out of 10. If the storyline was more original (and deviated from the last movie), they would’ve made another classic.