Flawed, yet worthwhile return

Rating: 6/10 (23 May 2013)

The wolfpack is back, for the last time apparently. But whilst The Hangover Part III is definitely an improvement over the series' carbon copy first sequel, on the whole it still is just a shadow of its former self. Don't get me wrong though, it does have its moments, and is a worthwhile experience in the end.
After a rather gruesome incident involving a giraffe, it is decided that Alan is to be placed in a mental home. Of course, Phil, Stu and Doug accompany him to this location. Along the way, they are attacked by a group of criminals who take Doug hostage and threaten to kill him unless the remaining trio retrieve a recently escaped Mr. Chow, who has stolen a substantial amount of money belonging to the criminals.
Perhaps after the critical panning that the second film received, Todd Phillips has decided to move in a more original direction plot-wise, completing removing the titular hangover element, in which the protagonists are forced to retrace their steps from the drunken night before. This is quite risky, as it deprives the film of its unpredictability, and instead gives the impression of a standard chase film. Nevertheless, the formula still works, if not as well.
In terms of the characters, Ken Jeong as Chow seems to have taken over the comedic role usually played by Zack Galifianakis, who is now reserved to the odd awkward one-liner or moment. Though I loved Chow in the first movie, it does get quite tedious watching him repeatedly yell out phrases such as: "I LOVE COCAINE!", all for the purpose of a cheap laugh. Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms aren't given enough comedic focus as they could, which is a shame, as they are both quite talented and capable of such, as shown by the first film.
It's nice to see a lot of references to the previous movies, with appearances from Black Doug, and even Carlos, or Tyler, from the first film. This, alongside the presence of Las Vegas in the final act, is quite a nostalgic turn, inspiring good memories from the original Hangover. The comedy is quite darker than the previous films, which I found worked quite well, even though it sometimes leaned into more of an action-thriller category rather than a standard comedy.
Ultimately, although The Hangover Part III does falter, I would recommend viewing it, if anything to say a final farewell to the characters that we have grown to love over the past few years. Though not as funny or as insane as the first film, it is still decent viewing, and there is the odd flash of brilliance, which is something I can't say as sincerely for the second film. It is quite a melancholy, bittersweet affair, as the final scenes do truly indicate that this is the last time we'll see the wolfpack. That is, until the box office returns are revealed.
Final note: There's a mid-credits scene which in my opinion is the funniest part of the whole film. Make sure you stay back and watch it.