The Comedy Review: The Hangover, Part 2

There are two distinct types of funny jokes we all hear people tell; the ones you laugh at every time it's told (even though you have heard it before) and the ones that you laugh at once, but walk away from someone who is telling it again. This film belongs in the latter category. It was very funny, however raunchy and off-putting it may be, but I had absolutely no desire to see it again in a theatre.

The element that made the first film so funny and surprisingly successful was missing from the formula of the second film. There were not too many surprises other than those embedded in the comedic plot twists that accompanied the hapless gang of mismatched and reluctant friends in the always hilarious city of Bangkok.

Set in juxtaposition, the first film was like a mystery that you hoped - but were unsure if they would be able to solve and the second film was like a mystery that you wanted to know how they solved. That does not take anything away from the plot itself, which was very creative and stylish to say the least. So much so, that it's almost impossible to write about any specific event in the film without creating a complete spoiler alert. The twists and turns keep you guessing and laughing, but ultimately you know for the most part what the ending will be - relatively happy.

Today's comedic film audiences would be angered and confused by the brilliant and disillusioning era of indie genre filmmaking which began in the late 60's and dominated the entire decade of the 1970's, known for dark comedies and sad endings such as the end of (the original) Ocean's 11, Harold & Maude and Dr. Strangelove. The cost of making major studio motion pictures today cannot afford them such artistic license.

I will check it out again on home media, of course. But this is not one that I plan to watch continually.