Unfunny second sequel brings its trilogy to a disappointing conclusion

Rating: 4/10 (11 September 2015)

In 2009, we were introduced to the wolf pack: Phil, Alan, Stu, and Doug, along with Mr. Chow, who brought the insane hilarity and laughs on the silver screen when they woke up in Las Vegas with no memory of what happened the previous night and their soon-to-be- married friend Doug missing. Two years later, the wolf pack dealt with the same hilarious scheme, only to wake up in Bangkok with the younger brother of Stu's fiancée missing. Apparently, the critical failure of the second film didn't give a clear signal to director Todd Phillips for the series's retirement, and the result is a third film of the franchise that fails to bring the fun and laughter that made the first two films enjoyable.
Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianackis) are back once again with the film opening up Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) escaping from prison in Thailand, while evading a violent prison riot and guards who are after him. Meanwhile, Alan purchases a giraffe and decides to take it home on a trailer. However, when the giraffe's tall figure is too high for a highway overpass, the giraffe ends up decapitated and causes a major highway pileup. Soon, his family and his friends Phil, Stu, and Doug become increasingly worried about his mental wealth and proposed to take him to a mental institute called New Horizon. The plan quickly becomes thwarted when they are attacked and kidnapped by mobsters lead by crime boss Marshal (played by John Goodman) who assigns Phil, Alan, and Stu go after Mr. Chow who is in possession of half of his money, and capture him. With the three guys on the search for Chow, Doug is held hostage by Marshal and his henchman.
This movie takes the characters to Tijuana and later, back to Vegas where the first film was set. Unlike the first two film, this one goes a whole another direction. Instead of the characters going out for a bachelor party for one of them who is getting married, and waking up with absolutely no memory of the previous night, this film has the characters going on a road trip to capture Mr. Chow who has become an international criminal. So basically, this acts more as a spy thriller than a hardcore comedy, and the results are a lack of laughter and humor to satisfy. The characters are not funny this time around, Mr. Chow isn't even funny anymore. While he manages to choke out a few humorous lines, his character seems warn out from laughter. Alan isn't even funny here either. The film tries to make him funny by simply making more dumb and more absent-minded than ever, but it fails to bring the laughs out. Furthermore, this film doesn't seem to try to be funny. There are many scenes that rather dark, including characters getting shot and killed, and Mr. Chow ends being more sinister than funny as he manages to kill a few animals in some scenes. The plot itself pretty much takes away all the hilarity and deprives the characters from their humor. This film may sound better than the second film for taking another direction, but sadly, it only ends up worse.
The Hangover Part 3 is one of the most disappointing second sequels I have seen. It fails to be funny, it falls under a very poor script, and ends the trilogy on a really sour note. With you thought the second film was a disaster, that one was the only the beginning.