The Wolfpack are back! Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Ken Jeong headline “The Hangover Part III.” SIDEWALKS’ Opal has her take.
“THE HANGOVER PART III”
Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA Rating: R for “pervasive language including sexual references, some violence and
drug content, and brief graphic nudity”
Run Time: 100 minutes
Studio Synopsis:
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes “The Hangover Part III,” the third and final film in director Todd Phillips’ record-shattering comedy franchise.
This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.
“The Hangover Part III” reunites Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha as Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug. Also returning to the ensemble are Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow, Heather Graham as Jade, and Jeffrey Tambor as Alan’s father, Sid. Joining the starring cast is John Goodman.
Phillips directs from a screenplay he wrote with Craig Mazin, who also collaborated with him on the screenplay for “The Hangover Part II.” Phillips is producing the film under his Green Hat Films banner, together with Dan Goldberg. Thomas Tull, Scott Budnick, Chris Bender and J.C. Spink are the executive producers.
Also back for another round are Phillips’ behind-the-scenes creative team from the first two films: director of photography Lawrence Sher, editor Debra Neil-Fisher and costume designer Louise Mingenbach. They are joined by production designer Maher Ahmad (“Gangster Squad”) and editor Jeff Groth (“Project X”). The music is composed by Christophe Beck.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Green Hat Films Production of a Todd Phillips.
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96TelFMZwHc’]
Opal’s Take:
“The Hangover Part III” is quite a wild ride as Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) are back and faced with yet another dilemma! Also, back for “Part III” is Doug (Justin Bartha), Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), Jade (Heather Graham) and “Black” Doug (Mike Epps). There are a few new faces as well, including two of my favorite actors, John Goodman and Melissa McCarthy. This cast saturates the film with non-stop entertainment.
In this sequel, Alan has reached a point where he is making erratic decisions and his life is on a downward spiral. As many of have seen during the television commercial preview, Alan has boldly purchased a live giraffe as a personal pet and this is an apparent part of a chain of odd behavior. Following a serious predicament, Alan and the “Wolf Pack” embark on an adventure that that ultimately leads down a path of Alan’s personal discovery. Of course, there is never a dull moment with this group and trouble is never far away. I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel, laughing throughout the entire film.
Galifianakis is true to his character, Alan, bringing the off-beat and quirky humor that we all fell in love with on the first “Hangover” movie. He’s still socially awkward, has little to no verbal filter, and almost always displays inappropriate behavior. Helms is perfect as Stu; the uptight dentist who tries to stay on the straight and narrow. Stu loosens up quite a bit as a “Pack” member. We see the bolder and more daring Stu show his loyalty to the “Pack”, when they are involved in yet another catastrophe. I was hoping that “Part III” would feature more Stu scenes, such as the tiger song and the mysterious missing tooth from “Part I.” To my surprise, he did not play a major part of the storyline. Cooper is natural and fitting for the role of Phil, the level-headed stud with a quick-wit and sharp tongue. Phil, still most loved and idolized by Alan, has a low-tolerance for foolishness. The reliable friend who always tries to keep the gang together and as safe as possible under the circumstances, also sidelines this sequel with a supporting role.
Jeong as Mr. Chow is the ambiguous Chinese mobster and origin of most chaos that has occurred since “Part I.” He’s back on the scene to stir up trouble. I have been an enthusiastic Jeong fan since the 2007 hit, “Knocked Up” and enjoy his role as Señor Chang on the NBC series, “Community.” However, on “Part III” it took me a while to get used the humor of Mr. Chow. It often seemed unnatural and I didn’t always know when or if the punch line had landed. Nevertheless, I have to credit Jeong. The actor/physician by trade is a man of many talents and pretty solid for a virtual newcomer on the acting scene. There were moments where Jeong’s Chow was pretty hilarious and I doubled over with laughter. He has truly made the character his own.
As part of this trilogy’s evolution, there are more dramatic and suspenseful scenes throughout. With shootouts, outrageous stunts, and heists, one may possibly forget at times that this is a comedic film. There is a scene that is almost reminiscent of a “Mission: Impossible” movie. There were also scenes so intense that they had me sitting at the edge of my seat. It’s hard lose perspective for too long, because every scene is laced with a joke or two that will make you bust your seams. I enjoyed the diverse tone; it’s enjoyable and leaves the audience wondering what happens next.
I felt very little disappointment while watching the film, aside from when it ended. I was unsatisfied and the question, “Is that all we get?” went through my mind. The movie never slowed and I laughed during the entirety, but it just wasn’t enough. I’m not sure if it was the movie’s length or that I wanted to laugh more, but I could not pinpoint it. I just concluded that I have just fallen in love these characters over the years, along with their crazy antics, and know that the franchise has come to a head. Nonetheless, most of that feeling diminished about three minutes after the credits. In typical “Hangover” fashion, there was a short surprise bit that was jaw-dropping, scandalous, and unforgettable. With that said, make sure to stay a few minutes after the credits role to catch it.
Shot in California, Arizona and Nevada, the scenery is so breathtakingly gorgeous that it will make anyone want to tag along for the Pack’s misadventures. Part of what makes all three movies so exciting and captivating is not only catching an occasional glimpse of Alan’s rear end, but also the cool places that the Pack’s escapades take them like the Vegas strip, and the awe-inspiring California valleys. While the film’s photography easy on the eyes, the music was not bad either. The film’s soundtrack is very well-rounded with a little something for everyone; pop, rock, hip-hop and more. It features Billy Joel, ASAP Rocky, and even the one-and-only Ken Jeong with music from the film. I have enjoyed most of the music from the Hangover series. I usually find a song or two that I want to download and add to my personal collection, and this soundtrack makes me want to grab a few more! I think that I may have to opt out on Mr. Chow’s singles, on the other hand.
Overall, I really enjoyed “The Hangover Part III.” Initially, I was steadfast that none could come close to replacing the first film of the trilogy. Though, I still feel that “Part I” was the best, “III” is a very close second. It’s unfortunate that this is the last film of the franchise, because I truly think that these are some of the funniest films of our time. Definitely check it out and judge for yourself. You won’t regret it!