(via davidwain)
The Hangover Part 3 (2013) - by Todd Phillips, starring Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, John Goodman
I ended up really liking The Hangover Part 3. It’s weird to think, sure, but I’ve got my reasons, and I do in fact feel that they’re solid. In concluding a trilogy of films, it’s a great finisher, as well as stand alone comedy. Todd Phillips and crew managed to do some damn good work.
At the point of its conclusion, the Hangover trilogy closes itself out on a high note, solidifying its legacy in a similar way to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s films. In proper pattern, the first of the series is strongest and most beloved, part two is generally disliked despite having its moments, and the third and final portion ended up being strangely good and likable. Despite the eyebrow raising rehashing of a plot that was The Hangover Part 2, Part 3 actually finds itself capturing a lot of the elements of what made the first film so special, along with other aspects that help it stand out on its own, in really impressive ways.
Working with a strange action thriller plot, and story devices from the preceding two films, Todd Phillips manages to make some good on these storied characters. With the franchise already having jumped various sharks, I suppose going in, there really was no holding back. And yet Phillips and gang manage to manage to sidestep the issue film number 2 had. For the record, that issue is just a big, glaring piece of laziness, which is reusing structure. In, you know, not doing that, they actually manage to make an entertaining and properly developed action-thriller. The same level of intrigue had in the first film feels fresh once again in discovering absurdist twists and turns throughout the adventure. This is more of a proper sequel than part two was, as it feels like it really went somewhere.
