Trailer Analysis: "The Hangover: Part II"

I am a big fan of Director Todd Phillips’ 2009 Comic Masterpiece “The Hangover”. This grand opus of cinema was not only gut-bustlingly hilarious; but also a Golden Globe Winning film. Not only do I own the Unrated DVD of “The Hangover”; but whenever it airs on HBO, I savor every minute of its delicious hilarity. I, my family and friends all love this hysterical movie; and we can all say that this is one of the most outstanding comedies made in recent years. However, when it was announced that there was to be a sequel released this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, I remember thinking to myself: How on Earth could the inspired director and multi-talented cast possibly top themselves with a follow-up? Well, my friends, I have seen the full promo for the soon-to-be-released continuation and I can honestly say that:

“The Hangover: Part II” Is Going To Be Another Laugh-Filled and Exciting Ride

In the trailer, we see the original film’s characters Phil, Doug, Alan, and Stu venture to Bangkok, Thailand for the latter’s own wedding. And when watching the slightly-over-two-minute preview stream, we find that what was once again originally meant to be an enjoyable pre-wedding celebration; has become a complete disaster. Our heroes are now lost in Bangkok and are left with various traces of what took place the night before. And as events unfold, the gang is reunited with their adversary Mr. Chow; once again played with top-notch glee by Ken Jeong.

Image taken from http://www.stardusttrailers.com/gallery_film/The_Hangover_Part_II(110111221419)the-hangover-2-movie-photo-01-550x366.jpg

And, as the preview’s clips fly by in a rapid-fire manner in front of our eyes, it appears that hilarious hijinks are definitely in store this summer.

As a result of the set-up of the trailer, I can sincerely say that I am more-than-eager to see Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifinakas reprise their mismatched-yet-determined characters. Once again, our male leads have to cooperate and put together the pieces of their crazy antics in hopes to arrive to Helms’ character’s wedding. While the scrapes they got into were side-splitting, it was their perfect chemistry that made the first movie so perfect. They have the great ability to play each other both verbally and physically; thus allowing audiences to cheer for them throughout the affair. Plus, they each possess great comedic timing and their ability to keep up with each other’s acting was perfect; thus making them one of the best big-screen comedic ensambles ever put together.

But while the group work great together as a whole, each performer appear to be in top form. Bradley Cooper’s Phil is still the official leader of the group and is the one responsible for keeping the group on their feet. Also, Ed Helms is overly-panicky and frazzled as Stu; once again having some facial damage done to himself—though more significant rather than just a missing tooth. Furthermore, Zach Galifianakis is still utterly disorientated and dense as Alan; who seems to be getting into even more crazy situations in the sequel. Furthermore, as we all remember his more-than-uproarious performance in the first film, it is only fitting that Galifianakis treats viewers to the first big joke in the preview.

Image taken from http://moviesblog.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/hangover2-monkey-575.jpg

Furthermore, it is good to see Justin Bartha reprise his role of Doug; the straight man of the original film. His ability to hold his own while interacting with the core three was impeccable; as he was able to serve as a fully-developed character and a plot device as well. And, as we see in the trailer, it appears that Bartha’s character will be in constant communication with our protagonists as they stumble from one sequence to another.

However, while I am looking forward to seeing “The Hangover Part II” in theaters this summer, the preview does present a few minor concerns. First of all, as I am excited to see Ken Jeong reprise his infamous role of Mr. Chow. However, it appears that he is going to be included in the group’s path-to-discovery. While seeing him in action with Phil, Alan, and Stu could be fun; I am a little skeptical of the logic of the situation.

Image taken from http://filmonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/The-Hangover-part-2.jpg

Another concern that the preview brings forward, is that the film seems to be referencing Philips’ original feat quite frequently. While keeping continuity alive is very important for a sequel, I fear that too many callbacks could be considered overkill and a tad insulting to one’s intelligence; as we are being constantly reminded of events that had previously taken place. Image taken from http://www.icelebz.com/movies/the_hangover_part_ii/images/movie-the_hangover_part_ii-stills-769575734.jpg

Furthermore, there is that question that we are all thinking: why make a sequel to such a great movie? The first installment was so perfectly-crafted that we are worried to see its legacy tarnished by a possibly-and-hastily-put-together follow-up. We all remember treasuring and quoting the great movie in June 2009; and the very notion of producing a second chapter could be thought of as either lazy or desperate to relive the past. After all, we can all remember that old adage: “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It.” Image taken from http://moviesblog.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/hangover2-photo.jpg

But, perhaps I am being too quick to judge Todd Philips’ directing. As the original movie introduced us all to this band of misfits, a sequel does allow us to sit back and enjoy as our dysfunctional heroes pick up the pieces from another night gone wrong; thus inducing us to laugh even harder than we did back in 2009. In addition, as the movie is now taking place in Thailand, the change in scenery offers a fresh change of pace; thus making our main characters even more out-of-their-element and an opportunity to explore new lands on their quest to salvation. In other words: it’s a whole new kind of party.

And that’s basically how I feel about seeing “The Hangover: Part II”. I wholeheartedly loved Phillips’ grand comedic oeuvre and I look forward to seeing our comedic cast embark on another hilarious and crazy romp. After all, I’m sure that this will be another celebration that will be worth remembering for years to come.

E-mail me at thatsnatertainment@gmx.com