For those unfamiliar with what the first two Hangovers were all about, well … four guys end up in some extraordinary situations brought about through excessive alcohol and substance abuse, end up missing a few fingers and teeth, and meet some outrageous characters along the way.
The first Hangover was set in Las Vegas, the second in Thailand (apparently you get from Bangkok to Phuket by driving down Khao San Road, turning right and there you are!), while the third starts in Bangkok and then heads back to Las Vegas and Mexico, neatly tying in the previous locations.
It’s easy to dismiss these as mere “bachelor party” movies (or “bucks’ night” movies, for Australian readers) but – despite critical maulings – the series has been a huge box office success: the first Hangover earned a staggering US$467 million and was the tenth most popular film around the world in 2009.
Hangover III is set two years after the last outing, with the “Wolfpack” of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis reprising their familiar roles, along with Ken Jeong returning as Chow, the sort-of-friend-you-should-avoid, and the addition of John Goodman as a baddie trying to find lost loot.
Galifianakis gets the best of the funny lines and has created a memorable character in Alan. We all know someone like Alan: just when things start getting normal again, Alan can destroy the situation with a single line. And he often does.
Phil, played by Bradley Cooper, is Alan’s perfect foil (Cooper seems to be getting very good at playing “Bradley Cooper”), while the third member of the core trio, Stu (played by Ed Helms), is battling to rescue his neat life disintegrating around him. Of course, he fails.
Sadly, Jeong, who was drop-dead funny as the Chinese gangster Chow in the first two films, becomes just plain annoying in this last edition, although he does redeem himself at the very end (it’s worth sticking around for the credits).
Indeed, the second half seems to run out of gags and turns into more of a chase movie. But just when you think it’s all over, you’re treated to just one last, incredible prank.
The critics haven’t been too kind to the third and final Hangover. But don’t take the criticisms too seriously: the producers and investors are laughing all the way to the bank. And you’ll laugh too.