The Wolfpack is back in second installment of the series. The question you want to ask is it funny? The answer is certainly yes. The only problem that will probably make this review shorter than normal is that it is exactly the same plot and beats as the first film. You put in the exception of Thailand and swap out a few characters and you basically have the same movie. After the film was finished I was a little perplexed. On one level I really enjoyed it, I mean it still was pretty fucking funny. But I also just felt cheated that they couldn't go with a more original plotline. I mean many sequels I know do tend to go this route but it's been a while since I've seen one that took that to the extreme.
Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper) & Alan (Zach Galifianakis) are up to their old hijinks but this time they are in Bangkok, where the danger just got amped up a notch. Poor Doug (Justin Bartha) doesn't get left behind this time but he does get muscled out, somehow, from the adventure altogether. This time Stu is about to marry into a strict Thai family and the pack ends up losing the family's genius son, brother of his soon to be wife, Teddy (Mason Lee). They have a day and a half to track down Teddy or they apparently lose him forever to the city that claims so many lost souls. (It's kind of a theme in the movie.)
It was nice seeing more of Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) and bringing in Paul Giamatti as a drug runner was interesting and the stakes are certainly a lot higher now that they are in another country especially one as dangerous as Bangkok, but I could pretty much check my watch and time when the local mafia turns up and when the best time for Stu to sing his "we are shit out of luck" song. I mean if I were to play the first Hangover at the same time as this one would Stu start singing at the hour and a half mark? Alan is a bit more annoying and therefore at times is hard to stomach, I like Galifianakis, but his schtick is starting to wear a little thin in this film. Bradley Cooper seems a little bored with his role this time out as he kind of sleep walks through it. But Ed Helms is great as always and he's the standout in my mind this time around. I'm actually looking forward to Hangover part III I just hope they change it up a bit and go with something a little different. I heard something about busting Alan out of a Psych ward. Ok, I'm down with that, just stop with the losing people plotline, and please, please no more Mike Tyson. It's not really that funny, it just seems kind of sad.
Grade: 3 Buckets (Although it really should be 2 and 1/2 but I just had so much fun with it)
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