The Hangover Part 3

                In 2009, “Old School” director, Todd Phillips, had given the public “The Hangover.” It starred Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis, telling about a group of friends who go to Vegas and get hungover, and now have to find their fourth friend, Justin Bartha, and retrace their steps before the guy’s wedding. It was a big hit with people and was at the time of its release, the highest grossing R-rated comedy, since “Beverly Hills Cop.” And…I didn’t like it. I felt that some of the humor didn’t really kick in when I wanted it to. Granted, there were some parts I enjoyed, like Ken Jeong being his crazy self, but other than that, there wasn’t really anything else.

                It spawned a sequel in 2011, and…it was the same thing, only this time it’s in Bangkok. I had talked about this film, but I never really talked that much about it, mostly because it was the same thing. Paul Giamatti’s small role was funny, but that’s about it. There have been sequels that have repeated the formula of their first film, but this was supposed to be a cutting-edge R-Rated comedy, doing new things, - all it did was bore me.

I was afraid this film was going to spawn a third film, and I figured it’d be the same thing. Good news and bad news here: The good news is, it isn’t the same thing. The bad news …folks, let me say that I have never been so bored and worn out by a comedy in years.

In this new film, the “wolf pack” (wasted an awesome group name on these guys, thanks Hollywood) have an intervention with Galifianikis. He has become more insubordinate to his friends and family (he’s said to have been off his meds for six months now, and they’re worried). However, on the way to deliver him to rehab, they are attacked by drug lord John Goodman, which connects back to the first film. He tells them that Leslie Chow has escaped from prison, and Goodman wants the wolf pack to find him or he’ll kill Justin Bartha, who has done jack squat the entire trilogy. Why does he want Chow? Because Chow stole $21 million in gold from him, and Goodman wants it back. So now, they’re on a wild goose chase to get Chow, tell them where the gold is, as well as finally be done with this film series, because I have completely stopped caring all together.

Now I know what you’re all going to say: “Oh, but if this isn’t your kind of comedy, then why even bother with it? You’re just wasting time and money!” First of all, yes, I understand this isn’t my kind of movie to enjoy, but I’m a film critic, so I give things a chance. Second, “Transformers 3” isn’t my kind of movie; same goes for “Snow White & the Huntsman” and “Magic Mike.” None of them were films I thought I would like, but when I saw them, they were big surprises and I really liked them. Just because I go into a film with low expectations, doesn’t mean that it couldn’t turn out to be a big surprise.

No one looked like they wanted to be there, EVEN Ken Jeong, who was the best part of the first film! His crazy attitude in this film was so stale, that it wasn’t entertaining, but rather ANTI-taining (still a better joke than anything in this franchise!) Thank goodness he at least has “Community” going. Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms looked like they wanted to just go “screw it,” and drive out of this film as far away as possible. John Goodman got some smirks out of me, and I know he’s trying his best, but it wasn’t enough. However, the worst part about this film was Zach Galifianakis, as his character has really downgraded from being a gullible fella with a bro-crush on Bradley Cooper, to borderline retarded and completely man-crazy. I’m not saying this as a joke, I am dead serious.

I actually enjoyed Melissa McCarthy as Galifianakis’s shoehorned-in love interest. I was ready to walk out on this film, but then her part came, so I stayed like the idiot I am. Even if she’s a female-copy of Galifianakis’s character, she at least seemed invested in what she was doing, but she’s only in the film for seven minutes max.

Overall, “The Hangover Part III” is by-far, the worst sequel to a comedy I have ever seen. It’s not funny, it’s not enjoyable, it hardly has any energy, and it is as stale as watching an episode of “Tim & Eric” on Adult Swim. I am now actually looking forward to “Grown Ups 2” this July, that’s how far this film has driven me. And with this film at a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes, I’m predicting it will bomb and end the series, especially since it’s up against “Fast and the Furious 6.”

Rating: 1/10