Stunning sequel

Debauchery, tomfoolery, and enough cringe-worthy moments to make even the most sadistic miscreant weep with joy; it could  only mean one thing … The Hangover Part 2!

I loved the first installment so much that the mere mention of a sequel was enough to make me collapse with laughter. But how could anything possibly live up to the comedic genius of the original? Simply put, the cast, director and script were stronger than Schwarzenegger on steroids.

This time, it’s dweeby dentist Stu’s turn to take the plunge into married life and his beautiful bride Lauren decides to hold the  wedding in Thailand much to the dismay of the rest of the gang. After the living nightmare that happened last time, Stu is  content to have his bachelor party without alcohol or Alan. However, after a little coercion from Phil and Doug, he invites the bearded prankster and eventually concedes to having ONE drink … provided it’s in a sealed bottle and no one interferes with it!

Lauren’s father is a stoic, tough-asnails type of guy who hates Stu, likes Lauren and adores his young genius of a son, Teddy. So, when the gang invites Teddy to the party, he’s thankful for the chance to finally have some freedom and fun.

However, Alan doesn’t take too kindly to another person joining his wolfpack and decides to resort to his old tricks to take Teddy out of the equation … but, who would have guessed it, it backfires. The next morning the gang wake up in a shady hotel in downtown Bangkok with no recollection of the previous night, Alan has a shaved head, Stu has a Mike Tyson inspired tattoo, and this time, instead of a tiger, there’s a chain smoking monkey!

To make matters worse, Teddy is missing and an inebriated Mr Chow is their only hope of finding him.

In order to find Teddy before the wedding, the wolfpack must piece last night back together in a race not only against time, but also against the Russian mafia, the CIA and a group of Buddhist monks.

It has been argued that this movie so closely mirrors its blockbuster predecessor in every vital aspect that it can scarcely claim to call itself a sequel … but (surprise) I disagree!

I’m a firm believer in the old adage, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and frankly, the reason this film works is because it doesn’t deviate from the formula that made the original so funny.

The only real difference, besides the location, is that this film is much darker and more sinister than the original but it’s more entertaining because of it.

What made this film really special was Galifianakis’s man-child type character, who is even more petulant and absurd than before. In one scene that will make me chuckle until the day I die, he actually turns to the monkey and says: ‘I’ll miss you, I really wish monkeys could Skype’.

To say I love this film is an understatement. And to all those who feel there was no need for a sequel ... as long as there are hangovers that result in lost memories of the night before, these films will keep being hilarious and topical.