Hangover part 2 - movie review

So Hangover 2 is finally here in all its glory or something like that. After I watched the movie, I have to say I was disappointed. Contrary to the very original, perverse, hilariously politically incorrect R-rated pleasure that was Hangover, Todd Philips, this time seemed to have lost his spark in generating a worthy sequel to the original and instead followed up with a dark and seedy farce in the name of a sequel. Instead of the humor, no matter how irrational or slapstick in its genre, this time it got a bit serious in that somebody actually lost his finger and Phil ended up getting shot. Well, I guess Stu's reaction to the incident was worth a watch. Its not that I'm grudgingly allowing myself to say that Hangover 2 makes you laugh, because truly the movie is actually has loads of opportunity for sidesplitting laughter, but at times its just repetitive. Considering the original, the sequel has the same tropes for comedy like mistaken identity, losing a friend, finding him through a crazy maze of events, as well as their absolute amnesia about their action during the drunken stupor that they leave in their wake and obviously Stu's Demon of a fetish for prostitutes "probably of all types". Its almost like you are waiting for something new to happen in the outcome, but its always the same story, maybe except for the substitution of Asians in place of Americans. And Bangkok is shown in all its dirtiness and darkness. The plot-line as is usual with the Hangover is nothing more than a hazy, blurred montage of scenes about drunkenness and the craziness it entails. To quote Joe Morgenstern, "What was fresh and surprising in Las Vegas turns rancid and predictable in Bangkok". The cast though has the kind of chemistry that makes their scenes together a pleasure to watch, especially the wolf-pack consisting Phil, Stu and Alan. Zach Galifianakis is superb as the idiotic and frustratingly appealing Andy, while Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms does a fantastic job of complementing each other. The female characters are not worth talking about, since the movie is all about male bonding and guys time out. I found Ken Jeong in his avatar of Chow, the flamboyant gangster, a great performer, in that he stands on his own in this star-studded cast. He's crazy, as simple as that. The story is usually the same, with Stu's impending marriage and how Stu's plan of a bachelor brunch goes awry with a beer. In any case though dismissed by most as a disappointed sequel by many, I have to say I had a good laugh, thanks to Hangover 2. And for all those who are looking for a good, mindless laugh this summer, not minding the raunchiness, Hangover 2 is definitely a watch!