The Hangover Part III (2013) by The Critical Movie Critics

Movie Review: The Hangover Part III (2013)


The Hangover Part III (2013) by The Critical Movie Critics

“We starred in what again?!!?”

If it’s any consolation to fans of this franchise, The Hangover Part III, is a better motion picture than “The Hangover Part II. But, then again, a filmed embalming would fall into that category, so try not to get too excited.

A perfect example (as if there are not enough of these) of a movie series that should have been content with just one picture, this version (purported to be the last, but there’s a tease during the closing credits that’s well . . . you’ll see) brings the “Wolf Pack” gang — Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and the increasingly bizarre and annoying Zach Galifianakis — together for another go-round in Las Vegas.

The fourth member, Doug (Justin Bartha, “Holy Rollers“), like his previous “Hangover” experiences, spends the film either tied-up, unconscious and generally missing from the screen (much to his credit). Why do I write this? Because despite a return to its original Sin City location, The Hangover Part III does not bring back the charm and hilarity that made the first installment, “The Hangover,” one of the best (and highest earning) comedies in film history.

Instead, this is a senseless, lazy, gross, often nasty and — worst of all — completely unfunny rehash that director Todd Phillips could have, should have passed on. Then again, had he done so, he could not have cashed part of the huge check this film will no doubt bring in. That doesn’t mean anyone in the audience will find any satisfaction while watching it, though. Unless you laugh at people being shot to death, constant drug abuse, unending use of the “F” word and the decapitation of a giraffe (yep, the laughs just keep on coming, folks), then you might want to pay to see “Fast & Furious 6,” or “Iron Man 3” if you missed it or ANYTHING but this.

To complete the idiocy, Phillips and co-writer Craig Mazin decided to center the weak story on the irritating one-note character of Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong, who’s almost as ubiquitous as Dwayne Johnson), who escapes from prison in Bangkok and makes his way to the states to hook up with pen pal Alan (Galifianakis).

The Hangover Part III (2013) by The Critical Movie Critics

Delivering fresh linens.

But Alan, it seems, has stopped taking his medication and has gone off the deep end with his attitude and antics, even behaving like a buffoon at his father’s funeral. Friends Phil (Cooper, coming off a Best Actor Oscar nomination for “Silver Linings Playbook“), Stu (Helms, coming off the final season of TV series, “The Office,” thank goodness) and Doug gather for an intervention to help him. Even at this early point of the movie, I still could not see how they would still have this dimwitted jerk as a buddy.

The quartet hits the road for a rehab facility in Arizona, but they are shanghaied by Marshall (John Goodman, coming off a Best Picture appearance in “Argo“) and his thugs, who are looking for Chow and a trove of stolen gold or something like that. Even small cameos by Heather Graham (who has not lit up the screen since her role in “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer“) and Melissa McCarthy (who should stop starring in drudge like “Identity Thief“) does nothing for this picture.

But who cares about any of this? With nonsensical situations, limp and lame action sequences and non-existent humor, The Hangover Part III may be better than the second, but the improvement is minimal and the experience is almost as depressing.

Critical Movie Critic Rating:
1 Star Rating: Stay Away

1

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The Critical Movie Critics

I have been a movie fan for most of my life and a film critic since 1986 (my first published review was for "Platoon"). Since that time I have written for several news and entertainment publications in California, Utah and Idaho. Big fan of the Academy Awards - but wish it would go back to the five-minute dinner it was in May, 1929. A former member of the San Diego Film Critics Society and current co-host of "The Movie Guys," each Sunday afternoon on KOGO AM 600 in San Diego with Kevin Finnerty.


'Movie Review: The Hangover Part III (2013)' have 14 comments

  1. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 10:38 am Kodiaaack

    Terrible movie. I did not laugh once.

  2. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 11:01 am RedPepper

    It is not a fun movie. All around very mean-spirited.

  3. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 11:11 am fraymel

    netflix. maybe.

  4. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 1:49 pm SZiegler

    Well at least it wasn’t a rehash of the previous two.

    • The Critical Movie Critics

      May 25, 2013 @ 4:10 pm Bee Whit

      Yeah, but it’s so frigging bad that I have to reconsider if I like the first two!

  5. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 3:34 pm Donna _A

    I just can’t figure out why Todd Phillips decided to make Chow such a cold-blooded character now. Through the first two we knew he wasn’t exactly a law abiding citizen but at least in his coke-fueled outrageousness he was funny and likable.

    • The Critical Movie Critics

      May 25, 2013 @ 4:45 pm sk8erade

      And Alan has become a belligerent asshole.

  6. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 8:37 pm Evan

    It had its laugh_out_loud moments but they were few and far between.

  7. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 25, 2013 @ 9:16 pm Ponce

    They ran this into the ground. :(

    • The Critical Movie Critics

      May 26, 2013 @ 5:28 pm holmeswilson

      Then rubbed its face into grit 60 sandpaper.

      • The Critical Movie Critics

        June 1, 2013 @ 11:29 am OldLord

        then sprinkled salt in the wounds

  8. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 26, 2013 @ 12:08 am Mr. Congruent

    Considering the first was for Doug’s wedding and the second was for Stu’s, Part 3 should have ended with an outing for Alan’s.

  9. The Critical Movie Critics

    May 26, 2013 @ 10:13 pm Ruth

    Glad I skipped it.

  10. The Critical Movie Critics

    June 1, 2013 @ 5:44 pm dietcoke

    sucks so bad

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