Movie Review: The Hangover Part II

The Hangover 2 is a safe-bet only if you're prepared to overlook certain issues.

By Jyotsna Kumar

Circa 2009: one crazy bachelorette party and the world stood up in a chase to find the groom. 2011 yet again a bachelorette party but this time you wanna be better off the chase. What happened in Vegas tagged everyone along the moment Wolfpack pact was sealed but what happened in Bangkok is a nightmare and you might wanna stay away with. The Hangover saw an interesting, wild, raunchy rhapsody of events in reverse gear by three brash, best friends, but The Hangover 2 couldn't live up to that momentum. The overall structure of the film is the same as its predecessor (only here, a tiger is replaced by a monkey).  The Hangover witnessed events which were more-or-less harmless but the events in The Hangover 2 crossed a lot of lines and pushing it into inappropriate territory.

The first fifteen minutes of the film was predictable, only to take us to the trigger point from where the madness starts and once it does, it's difficult to keep a track. Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helmes), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Dough (Justin Bartha) takes a trip to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu was skeptical about throwing a bachelorette party considering what happened in Vegas, and so he gives away a subtle, pre wedding brunch. This didn't go down well with Phil and he's annoyed. And so after much persuasion with Stu he invites the entire gang for one drink by the sea which includes Stu's fiancée brother Teddy (Mason Lee) - a science prodigy. The next day Teddy goes missing?

The film provokes a darker level which is dugged up in the name of comedy where sanity in relationship hardly matters, where sensibilities are completely ridiculed. So if you are looking for some serious fun then its better you don't react to certain sequences or if you are okay with little poking at serious world, then this movie offers plenty to lighten up. However, my biggest issue with the film was that it was one dimensional. The horrifying events was way over the top and were culpable, I mean you can never be ok by chopping off your own finger. The ending of the film makes the entire experience all fake as key issues like sanity of love are brushed aside with no effect whatsoever. One thing I've never understood which came out so evidently in this flick: why these guys (specially Phil) are so desperate to have one night out with the gang? So much so that they are ready to risk their life, their future? Don't these guys hangout and meet too often? Psssssstttt…

But I must say that The Hangover2 has its share of laughter as well. And the guy, who takes care of it, is none other than Zach Galifianakis. Whatever we saw of him in the previous flick was just the beginning of his nerdy actions, which only got better in this squeal. You'll find him in total command and absolutely comfortable into the skin of his character Alan. His insane reactions, admission to his guilt and child like gullibility is endearing. In certain sequences, you'll long for his screen presence more than anybody. Also, in certain sequences you might wanna dismiss others in the same screen space as he's in. Kudos! To the director Todd Phillips who very well understood the need of this character for his audience. This is the result of Zack and Todd's association in the past (The Hangover, Due Date and now The Hangover 2).

All in all, this formulaic flick reminds me of Manmohan Desai's school of filmmaking, minus emotions. The Hangover 2 is a safe-bet only if you're prepared to overlook certain issues.  And since when we had problems with the formula based film.

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