The Hangover Part 2

The Hangover Part Deux suffers from the same problem as every sequel to every small, indy film that hits big at the box office; It's basically a cash-grab by the studios, trying to recapture the lightning in a bottle. This means that a lot of the heart, and earnest energy of the first film is lost in favour of the swagger of a filmmaker that knows they're making a hit regardless of what ends up on screen. It is fortunate for us then that director Todd Philips has used his carte blanche to push the boat out and make a movie that is ambitious, but adheres to the same 'whodunit' structure of the first film.

This time around, the set pieces are bigger, the performances are broader and the comedy is blacker. There are some solid laughs and the plot is actually a lot smarter than it has any right to be. I was pretty much grinning or cringing throughout the entire running time (especially during the end credits which, again were the highlight of the film for me).

Overall I wouldn't say it was the best comedy of all time, or even from this director, (that honour goes to Old School) but I'd say it is a solid comedy that is slightly scuppered by having to follow the insta-classic original.