Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'The Hangover Part II'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

I feel bad for the sequel as a whole. There is always a ridiculous amount of expectation put upon them whether we like to admit it or not. We go in expecting something different, but in the back of our mind, we hope for something similar to the first film.  

That puts filmmakers in a precarious place. They have to give us just enough of what we loved about the first movie, without overdoing it, while at the same time giving us hints of fresh and original ideas without making us feel as though the franchise has gone in a completely different direction. It is this immense battle for balance that made The Hangover Part II an incredibly polarizing film.  

It's been two years since the Wolfpack's wild night in Vegas right before Doug's wedding and another celebration is on the horizon as Stu prepares to enter into matrimony. But Stu will have no part in a bachelor party; in fact, he has made a point to not invite Alan to his wedding. But some convincing from Doug allows Alan to join the wedding party in Thailand and when the boys awaken inside the confines of a hotel in the heart of Bangkok, after starting their evening at a simple gathering by the beach, they know they have lived through another night they will never remember. 

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​Earlier I used the word polarizing when it comes to this story and well, that's the right one to use as we enter a discussion on The Hangover Part II simply because you either loved this comedy or utterly hated it. The ones that enjoyed this sequel found it to be fresh and inventive while those that despise this film to its core continue to cite that it is a complete and utter rip off of the first one.  

Fact of the matter is, both sides have valid points. There are some pretty hilarious moments in this story that never quite top the original's jokes but they do leave you in stitches. Yet at the same time, it is hard to deny that many of the events that lead to the laughs are well...pretty darn similar to the first film. Does it make this movie a bad motion picture? I say no because of one simple question, where exactly do you go after a film like The Hangover? Please the crowds and keep them in stitches? Or take a completely different path and tick off the audience?  

It was a lose/lose for the filmmakers either way, but in the end, you'll find a funny comedy for sure and it is definitely worth a watch or two. As for those out there wondering what could have been had the franchise decided to go in a wildly different direction? Well the answer to that...arrived with The Hangover Part III and we will talk about that one another time. 

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