***THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED HERE FOR THE HOLLYWOOD NEWS ON MAY 23RD, 2013***
Director: Todd Phillips.
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Justin Bartha, John Goodman, Melissa McCarthy, Heather Graham, Mike Epps, Sondra Currie, Jeffrey Tambor.
Running Time: 100 minutes.
Certificate: 15.
Synopsis: With Alan (Zach Galifianakis) off his meds, the Wolfpack form an intervention. On the way to rehab, the consequences of the first two films catch up with them as they find themselves the missing link to get the intimidating Marshall (John Goodman) to his goal – a certain Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong).
Todd Phillips’ first two booze-fuelled bouts of cinematic amnesia may have grossed over $1 billion worldwide, but 2009’s THE HANGOVER never screamed with trilogy potential. The gang’s all here, but you sense they’re ready to leave the fun behind. And so, it turns out, are we.
Mixing up its inherent formula, PART III once again sidelines Doug (Justin Bartha), with the boys in pursuit of Chow after he stole from angry businessman, Marshall – yes, that Marshall. With so much of what’s gone before passing without consequence, it’s a brave move to tie-in the fallout, but this was never a serious franchise to begin with, leaving the balls to the wall manhunt formula sorely missed. With a not so subtle JURASSIC PARK reference during Alan’s giraffe-based motorway opening (one of the film’s many green screen distractions), Phillips’ nods to big budget actioners lay the groundwork for a big adventure, but this final swansong never quite delivers. Continue reading
Emma Thrower 