Half-Full Circle

Rating: 3/10 (24 September 2013)

Events of the past two parts of the franchise come around to a close in what is (hopefully) the final movie of "The Hangover" series, when misfit criminal Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) escapes Bangkok prison (with a reference to "Shawshank Redemption") bringing a dramatic blow-back from events past. After the death of his father Alan (Zach Galifianakis) is to be sent to an intervention camp to deal with his latent adulthood issues (worsening after being 6 months off of medication). Accompanied by Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha), the Wolf Pack is out for one last ride. Unfortunately for them drug-lord Marshall (John Goodman) holds them personally responsible for the misgivings of Mr. Chow, who several years ago in Vegas stole 20-odd million worth of gold from him. Marshall takes Doug hostage and tasks the remaining threesome with recovering the gold. Or else...
Thankfully the screenwriters decided to ditch the concept of retreading worn down paths of the original story (as was the key issue with the Bangkok excursion), instead tying together the knots of previous parts to deliver a new take on the matter. Unfortunately however the comedy is totally lost on the way and save for a few forced laughs, this is the most unfunny and laboured effort of a sequel I can remember. Most of the cast just seem feed up with the characters, playing them to minimal effect, only Jeong and Galifikalis milking it out the best they can. Cooper especially seems to have moved on and sleepwalks through the movements of a story lacking invention and punchlines. At times a couple of ideas and jokes manage to work, but overall it lacks freshness and even Bangkok outdoes it in terms of humour. Which unfortunately speaks volume as to how poor this final part of the series is. Hopefully this means good riddance for further follow-ups, as evidently the joke has run its term.
Funnily enough the only truly spot-on part of the movie comes with the end credits, when a wedding ends in another bout of debauchery and memory loss with some hysterical consequences. A suitable ending to the series, which probably should have never transgressed past the original in the first place.