The Hangover Part II... See It!

I don't know one person that didn't thoroughly enjoy The (original) Hangover. I'm sure there are some individuals that didn't, but I don't know them.

I do know people that didn't enjoy The Hangover Part II.

And to them, I say... Wtf?!

Let's be honest. The Hangover was never meant to have a sequel. It was a stand-alone R-rated comedy. It wasn't Back To The Future. It wasn't set up for a continuation. But neither was Meet The Parents or Ghostbusters or even Toy Story, for that matter.

It's arguable that pretty much every-fucking-single comedy sequel is not as great as its original. It's almost a given. Unless the original was just terrible. In which case, there would be no sequel.

So if we're talking about whether or not The Hangover Part II is as great as The Hangover, then you probably already knew the answer when they announced they were going to make a sequel.

No, Part II is not as great as its predecessor. But it's still worth seeing. Why? Because nothing else is coming close to the comedic value inherent in The Hangover's premise. And by association, in The Hangover Part II's premise.

We knew going in that the premise is the same. The characters are the same. We've gone from Vegas to Bangkok and from Doug's impending wedding to Stu's impending wedding. There's not a lot that's different about this sequel. But it doesn't need to be different. They've taken the template that worked so well for the original and planted new jokes, new situations, and new laugh-your-fat-fucking-ass-off jokes into the mix.

And ya know what?

It works.

Is it the best R-rated comedy of the decade?

No. Of course not. How could it be? The Hangover is. It set the bar for R-rated comedies. Its sequel was never going to push that bar higher. But it comes closer than other comedies in recent memory.

The only comedy that came close was Bridesmaids. And honestly? The Hangover Part II is better than Bridesmaids. Many will disagree with me, but from my perspective, it's simple.

Bridesmaids has no momentum. It's a row boat paddling around in circles.

The Hangover Part II is a speed boat barreling full-speed toward the shores of Thailand.

Bridesmaids has no goal to keep us involved in the story. It's unfocused. There are great characters, yes. But there's nothing for them to do. They're just running around in circles complaining about their lives.

Hangover II gives us 3 characters we already love, puts them in a similar-but-different situation, and makes those characters fight their desperate, tired, overwhelmed asses off to get out of it.

Sure, there are some moments in Hangover II when you're thinking "been there, done that" but there are more moments that surprise you, delight you, and laugh-till-you-cry entertain you.

If you wanna see both Bridesmaids and Hangover II, go ahead. They're both worth seeing.

But if you're only spending your money on one comedy this summer, invest in The Hangover Part II. It'll repay you with the laughs that got you weak the first time around. Because if a great joke is truly great, it can be reused. Hangover Part II proves that.