Movie Review: "Hangover Part III" Gives The Audience A Mild Hangover Of Its Own

The Hangover Part III

Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Justin Bartha, and John Goodman.
Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, some violence and drug content, and brief graphic nudity.

Chances are you already know if you want to see this or not. Fans of the original comedy classic, including myself, have been hoping that maybe somehow they could recreate what we loved from the first film. Those hopes were shattered with the highly disappointing Hangover Part II. Still, I thought that maybe they could learn from the disaster and still come out on top with Part III. Unfortunately, the actors are just cashing in their paychecks with a dull and forced script from director Todd Phillips.


One thing that Part III does get right is get a new plot that isn't just a rehash of the first. Phil, Stu, and Doug have had an intervention with Alan who has been in a downward spiral, especially since his father/best friend recently passed away. On their way to a rehab center they are run off the road by a ruthless drug kingpin played by John Goodman. He wants the gang to find Chow (Ken Jeong) who stole millions of dollars in gold from him, and since Alan is the only one who has kept in contact with Chow, he and the gang must now find him and return the gold or Doug will be killed.

There are some chuckles to be had at what ensues, but nothing that gets you laughing hysterically. Zach Galifianakis, again, is the funniest of the bunch, but even he seems to be going through the motions and doesn't really deliver any new classic lines that beg to be quoted again and again ("It's not a purse, it's a satchel. Indiana Jones has one"). I have to wonder if part of the problem with these sequels is that neither of the original writers were brought back to work on the scripts, or maybe all the good gags and lines were used in the first. Whatever may be the case, Part III falls flat. The Hangover will always be one of my favorite comedies, but it is the only one of this trilogy that I will own.

RATING:  D+