Sunday, June 26, 2011

Movie Moment: The Hangover Part II

The bf and I topped off our weekend by seeing The Hangover Part II. In this addition of bachelor parties gone horribly wrong, the groom is dentist Stu (Ed Helms), and the debauchery takes place in Thailand. Vegas was dark, but Bangkok is darker. It's this darkness that lends a sinister edge to the proceedings, which, as you've no doubt by now heard, once again center around searching for a missing groomsman on the strength of a few fuzzy details.

So, does the sequel live up to the original? I think so. Part II is certainly not wanting for bizarre incidents, near-death experiences, raunchy humor, and classic bad-boy behavior. The return of Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) especially ups the weird factor, driving home the point that for this crew, bachelor party mayhem isn't a one-time thing, but a way of life. Indeed, by the movie's end, the bespectacled and seemingly straitlaced Stu is screaming that he has a dark side, and that he likes it. His fiance is so happy to have him back in one piece that she doesn't even interrogate him. In her shoes, I'd have asked more than a few questions. But then, The Hangover is all about men being men and women accepting it, and as viewers we have to accept that too (at least for the two-hour duration of the movie).

Cringe-inducing images notwithstanding, I found the overall story entertaining and look forward to the third and final installment, if only to find out what sort of woman would marry creepy oddball Alan (Zach Galifianakis).

2 comments:

Jewel Divas Style said...

I watched the first and was left going..."what?"

I just didn't find it funny or entertaining.

The Tote Trove said...

I could see why you would say that. I was caught somewhere between thinking both were fun, raucous blockbusters (because that's what we're programmed to think) or horribly insulting to women (which was closer to what I was actually thinking . . .)