The Hangover was literally one of the most discussed film of 2009 because let's be fair, nearly everyone has had a night where they have forgotten a few details, perhaps not on the same scale but something similar. What was refreshing about The Hangover was the kind of humour it used and the unlikely stars of the outing, yes it was a given the known world would love Cooper, but Galifianakis and The Office's Ed Helms were his perfect sidekicks.
On the other hand, the film didn't really stand up to repeated viewings. Once you were over the hangover, like the literal event, you didn't really want to go back. Sure, it had its fair share of laughs but these really wore thin on repeated viewing. On top of that, if you didn't make it to the Hangover before the entire universe started talking about it, the film was bound to underwhelm.
Then came the Hangover Part II, which was essentially a copy and paste of the original film. Same concept, same plot, some repetitive jokes except they had changed location. The second instalment was an abomination, a black mark against the entire cast and director Todd Phillips.
However, there was something that was worth working with in the series; you could not help but love the characters, anxiety-filled Stu, player Phil and Alan, who possessed a very warped view on reality mixed with a minor crush on Phil. Unfortunately, Phillips was just not giving them the material to work with to make the films timeless.
The Hangover Part III is unlike the other films in that there is no bachelor party, no wedding and no parties so the illusion is nothing could go wrong. But with the Wolfpack, nothing ever really goes to plan. The friends hit the road after staging an intervention with Alan, promising to bring him to a facility which will treat him for some of his "problems". Little do they know they are being followed by someone who is looking for an old friend of the Wolfpack, none other than Lesley Chow. When Doug is taken hostage, they must find their old friend and return him back to his mortal enemy.
Although this is certainly a new direction for the series, with enough nods to keep fans of the franchise happy, Part III is still nowhere near the standard of the first film. Far darker in tone, there is not enough laughs to cover its time on the screen. The greatest scene in the film is a short introduction to Melissa McCarthy which should have occurred earlier in the running time.
On top of that, it really seems like the cast are phoning it in here. Cooper is now an Oscar nominated actor and although he must feel an obligation to the franchise for his massive introduction, he never seems overly interested. Ed Helms just tends to freak out on a constant basis, a staple aspect of his character but with no real development and as far as Zach Galifianakis is concerned, mental is key.
What is perhaps most disturbing is that Alan's mental state, although funny in the last films, is now depicted as mental instability. The audience always knew that Alan was a little left of centre but it is almost uncomfortable to be confronted with his mental health, hardly a barrel of laughs.
Again, Chow is one of the stellar performances, his activities more extreme than the last instalment but really, there is nothing new here.
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