Kevin Reviews The Hangover Part III

It's been a while since I've posted a review on here but since it's summer, I'll have more time to be catching up on my movie-watching.  I did see The Great Gatsby and Star Trek recently, however, I chose not to review Gatsby because I couldn't sit through the whole thing, and I didn't review Star Trek because I didn't have a whole lot to say about it.  I did make the mistake of seeing The Hangover Part III today, though.  It was awful, but that should be no surprise.

There were scattered laughs throughout the film.  My personal favorite had to be Leslie Chow.  His character is very hit-and-miss, but he was still somewhat entertaining to watch, although annoying at times.  I'd say the biggest strength of this film is how much thought they put into Alan's character arc.  He is a completely different person in the beginning of the film than he is at the end of the film, and the writers really emphasize the changes he makes throughout the course of the movie.  I can appreciate a good character arc and while I can't say this one was good, I can say it was there, which is hard to find in a film of this caliber. 

This movie is certainly the worst of the Hangover films.  Rather than it being a comedy (as I think it would be better off being), it feels more like a dark crime thriller with a dash of comedy in it.  I found myself wondering why the film decided to take such a dark approach, as there are multiple murders and animal killings in the film.  While they are comical, I can't help but scratch my head and wonder what the hell the director was thinking.  The Hangover was such a hit and is arguably considered a classic comedy, so it is disappointing to see a good franchise go down the toilet because the director gets away from himself when creating the sequels. 

The Hangover III has a few laughs but as a whole is a dud because of the odd mix of genres, overly dark scenes, and a ridiculously unbelievable plot, even for The Hangover.  I certainly would not pay full price for this, however, I'd consider getting it from Redbox if you are like me and just wanted to see it to say that you have seen all three.

MY RATING:

1.5 out of 5

-Kevin Millward-