Wolf Pack Conclusion

Rating: Null/10 (29 April 2017)

Whereas the second 'Hangover' movie was more of a rehash of the first adventure than a true sequel to it, this third 'Hangover' entry does some decidedly different things with mixed yet mostly positive results. Most notably, the film taps into several of the original's subplots as the drug dealer's unseen boss from the first film gets a face with John Goodman in a performance that delightfully references 'The Big Lebowsk'. The fact that Goodman decides to hold on to Justin Bartha (Doug) while forcing the rest of the Wolf Pack to work for him never quite feels like the right move (a more ambitious sequel would have had Doug finally share his friends' adventures) but there is little disputing how well the three main players interact with each other and Ken Jeong gets more screen time than ever before, as well as scattered character growth. Mike Epps and Heather Graham also make welcome returns to the story with the film possessing some truly touching moments as the friends visit Graham's baby from the first film, now at an age at which he can walk and talk. The less said about Melissa McCarthy's extended cameo here, the better though, and some gags (giraffe) push the boundaries of good taste, but in general there is quite a lot here to like with the film actually building on the events of the first two movies rather than just aping them.