The Hangover III

After two Hangovers, what else can you do to improve?

Really, very little. So then…well, no hangover this time. This seems to have been the approach that the producers and director of The Hangover tried to give this time to the film that completes the craziest but also funniest comedy trilogy ever. This is one of the few times when actually the formula that was used the first time does not lose its power and it actually gets better the second time and it even improves for a third.

TH3 is different from the others not only because there  is no hangover situation in the entire film but because it's grittier and darker (at least three characters are shot and die instantly) and there is also a greater does of black humor such as in the scene where Alan (Zack Galifianakis) buys a giraffe and on his way home does not realize that he goes under a low bridge resulting in the giraffe being beheaded; then the head falls on someone's windshield making the driver freak out and therefore causing a massive accident. This last action causes Alan's father a heart attack and dies. Alan's mother and sister call for help and thus Doug (Justin Bartha), Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) convince Alan to go to a center where he could be "intervened".  Little do they know that on their way there they will be rammed by a truck forcing them to get off the car. Then Marshall (John Goodman) a crime lord takes Doug as hostage (precisely him!) to force the others go look for a person they know very well: Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong). Marshall accuses Chow to have stolen a lot of money from him but cannot find him though he knows that recently Chow has been sending letters to Alan (precisely him!). Phil, Stu and Alan then begin another crazy quest to find Chow who in return will get them into even more trouble especially when they return to the place where it all began: Las Vegas, Nevada.

I'm told this third installment has received negative reviews but the most important (that of the audience) has been positive so far. I was watching and I couldn´t stop laughing from the beginning to the end. TH3 has a lot of elements and none of these ingredients tastes bad: there is humor, action, an intricate plot, car chases, moments of reflection and even nostalgia. The music is quite adequate and adapts perfectly to the feeling of the movie and action sequence. The actors are wonderful comedians especially Galifiniakis and Helms, the crazy nut and the perfect whiner.

Truly this is not a family film (it's been rated R) but if your children are late teens there should not be any problem. Also, another low point is the fact that you need to have seen the previous installments because there are many references being made along the film and even old characters make appearances such as Jade (Heather Graham) the prostitute of the first part and her baby who is now a little boy. The visuals are quite vivid, in particular those showing Vegas (Tijuana is also visited) and its endless row of casino-hotels.

There is a feeling of closure since Alan in a way becomes an adult and gets married which leads to his announcement to the others that he is going to spend less time with them in the future (actually a relief for the others). The last scene when they accompany Alan to the wedding is full of remembrances showing scenes from the previous films.

And last but not least truly there is no hangover during the entire film but after the film, that's another thing. So  when the credits start rolling be patient and wait until you see the true final scene and the reason why this one was also called The Hangover. Priceless, really.

I don´t care about what the other reviews might say. This movie is really fun and worth every penny.

Five stars out of five for this one.