Actors: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong
Directors: Todd Phillips
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Run Time: 100 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
When I saw “The Hangover”, I thought it was one of the funniest, craziest comedies I have ever seen. I never thought to myself though, “Man I really want a sequel!” Well money speaks for itself since the first film brought in a boat load of it. The sequel was a carbon copy of the first film and was quite terrible. I know they say if something works the first time don’t change it but it was no fun. So when I saw they were making a third film to “complete the trilogy”, I steered very clear. I have to admit though they actually did it up right this time (sort of). I think if they would have made this film the first sequel people wouldn’t have abandoned this franchise.
Official Premise: It’s been two years. Phil, Stu and Doug (Cooper, Helms and Bartha) are happily living uneventful lives at home. The only member of the Wolfpack who’s not content is Alan (Galifianakis). Still lacking a sense of purpose, the group’s black sheep has ditched his meds and given in to his natural impulses in a big way-which, for Alan, means no boundaries, no filters and no judgment… until a personal crisis forces him to finally seek the help he needs. What could possibly go wrong? When the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.
The film feels very epic and large. I have to admit, I wasn’t on the floor laughing but overall I enjoyed the film. They attempt to tie everything up from the first two films, which feels a little forced including bringing back characters like Jeffrey Tambor, Heather Graha and Justin Bartha (who I don’t think speak one word). Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong are the highlight of the film. I have never been a fan of Ed Helms and who doesn’t just love Bradley Cooper. I would have liked to see more of Melissa McCarthy. She was funny but not over-the-top and could have added a lot more.
Warner’s delivered an impressive release with this Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet combo pack. The 1080p transfer is sharp and very impressive. Normally for a comedy, I would say that it doesn’t really push the standards of Blu-ray but this film does and it looks great. It also showcases really well all the various different locations from the desert to Mexico and (of course) Las Vegas. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 score is absolutely amazing and really feels like a huge action film and not like a comedy.
The special features are a bit of a let down though to be honest. “Replacing Zach: The Secret Auditions” is a short collection of secret auditions with director Todd Phillips. “The Wolfpack’s Wildest Stunts” show the cast/crew working through the films stunts and action sequences. “Zach Galifianakis in His Own Words” talks briefly about his role. “Pushing the Limits” talks about shooting with animals and children. “Inside Focus: The Real Chow” is Ken Joeng being Ken Joeng. There is a one minute “Action Mash-Up” montagte. Lastly there are three short extended scenes and tons of funny outtakes.
The Hangover Part III is available on Blu-Ray Combo Pack 10/8/13 at http://bit.ly/GetHungover