The Hangover Part III

Reviewer: Luke Walkley

Director: Todd Phillips

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong and John Goodman

Certificate: 15

Released: 23^rd May 2013 (UK)

The now infamous ‘Wolfpack’ return for what is apparently the final time in the Hangover Part 3. After agreeing to travel together to a rehabilitation centre for Alan (Galifianakis), Phil (Cooper), Stu (Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha), are ambushed by Marshall (Goodman), a criminal from whom Mr Chow has stolen $21million worth of gold.  As it turns out Alan and Chow have been in contact, Goodman ‘encourages’ the Wolfpack to locate Chow, by taking Doug hostage and threatening to kill him if he isn’t given Chow and the gold within 72 hours.

After the less than impressive second instalment, Part 3 had some making up to do in order to be anywhere near as fun as the first outing. Unfortunately, Part 3 only furthers the disappointment. With no parties or ‘hangover’ to rely on for the storyline, it makes a pitiful attempt at creating an actual plot.

The trailer for Part 3 relied heavily on Alan’s antics and it turns out that if you have seen the full length trailer, you’ve seen 95% of the films comedy. In comparison to the original, where there were laughs-aplenty, the whole film feels like it has stagnated. It never gets going and feels entirely too scripted. As Doug’s left behind again and it leaves the focus of the three and Chow once more.

As mentioned, Alan’s funniest moments are the foundation upon which nothing is built. Phil and Stu (Cooper and Helms) play bit parts while Mr Chow offers a few chuckles here and there, but other than a cameo by Melissa McCarthy, it plays out more like a heist movie than the buddy comedy it once was.  Goodman is, for lack of a better word, criminally underused, making sporadic appearances and never really being used to the ability he is known for.

It’s hard to predict how this film will bode with the general cinema-goer. If you go into it with an open and uncritical attitude, it will probably be a fun hour and a half. Though, that’s not really enough to save it from the critics. It’s flawed, flat and not really funny. It lacks memorable moments-  no tattoo’s, no baby.. nothing. That is perhaps the films biggest downfall, you will walk out and tomorrow, you won’t recall why you laughed (if, in fact, you did).

With this being touted as the last time we will see the Wolfpack, it’s probably for the best, however with an ending that leaves a possibility for a fourth film, perhaps it really is time to say ‘Toodle-oo, MotherF*****s’ to the Wolfpack.