Hangover 2 - C-

In theaters. Rated R, 102 minutes. Trailer.

Hangover 2 is a profoundly boring, uninteresting and unfunny follow-up to the the insta-classic original (reviewed here, B+ then, A- now). Sequels are always struggle to replicate the magic of the original, but this is almost like Writer/Director Todd Phillips was trying to make a bad film, or just got very lazy. The plot is exactly the same as the first film, but set in Thailand/Bangkok for Stu's (Ed Helms) wedding. After going to great lengths to avoid getting drugged again, the usual trio (Alan, Stu, Phil) wake up in squalor in a seedy Bangkok hotel with a very familiar "spider nest". Click below for more on H2:

This time they have lost Stu's future brother in law, and they set out on a mirthless journey to find him. The film features lots of lazy shock-value bits that are predictable and unfunny. Whereas the last film had our gang interacting with lots of different characters (doctor, cops, Heather Graham), this group never gets to riff the way they did in the first one and the film suffers accordingly.

Skip it.