Review: THE HANGOVER PART 3

The end is here. The saga that made us laugh hysterically comes to a close. Hang on to your seats for 'THE HANGOVER PART III'.

We take this opportunity to welcome our newest frontseatreview.com member and wish him the best. Take it away man!

By 'Pacha' Ramirez:

The pack of wolves is back! 'Phil' (Bradley Cooper), 'Stu' (Ed Helms) and 'Alan' (Zack Galifianakis) are back in the game for the grand finale of one of the most popular trilogies in the last few years.

It all begins with an intervention to help troubled 'Alan', and convince him to assist a retirement (for what, I don't know, the movie never mentioned). The only way he'll do it is if the whole gang tags along. The plot thickens in the first few minutes when, while on their way, they are intercepted by a mobster who is looking for 'Mr. Chow' (Ken Jong). Without a reasonable cause, our heroes are forced to find their Chinese friend in order to exchange him for 'Doug' (Justin Bartha) who is taken by the mobster as a bargaining tool.

The main story doesn't happen all in one place like it did in the previous films. Instead, it moves from city to city, from one problem to another and from a crazy solution to an incredible escape.

Little by little, clues, ignored e-mails and other things lead the guys to 'Mr. Chow's whereabouts and into situations familiar with this trilogy. The fans of the first two movies will recognize all the character cameos that returned to close the saga's cycle.

Analysis:

*Since this film is different, I'm leaving all technical aspects for another time.*

Leaving all comparisons with the movie's predecessors would be impossible, and to begin with- this is not a comedy. It looks as if they tried to do a thriller instead, and it didn't work out. The laughs and shameful situations that made this characters comedic icons, fell way short.

A key element of the trilogy, 'Alan's character, changed so much for this outing that he lost most of his charm.

The rest of the characters didn't suffer any modifications but didn't evolve as they could have either.

The comedy- there are a few laughs and funny moments, but the violence and abuse the characters suffered, which was a must in the previous movies, were MIA. Nothing happens to them in this one.

Opinion:

I think you'll have fun, but this isn't the ending this trilogy deserved. It lost most of its identity and the most important element of the main plot *SPOILER* the hangover is, for the most part, missing. You'll see the guys going through one, but only if you stay after the credits begin to roll (and to top it off, it is irrelevant to the film's story).

The screenplay and, as I mentioned before, most of the characters felt flat.

Finally, I want to warn you- lower your expectations or you might leave the theater even more disappointed than I did (and I am a huge fan of the saga).