The Hangover Part III
For “The Hangover Part III,” director Todd Phillips and stars Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha and Ken Jeong reunited for a little “hair of the dog” to pad their checking accounts one last time. In this nasty sequel, the guys of the Wolfpack are happily married and content with their lives — except for Alan (Galifianakis), who’s rudderless and off his meds. The boys decide to stage an intervention and take him to a retreat in Arizona — but get waylaid and double-crossed by murderers, thieves, drug dealers, and their old Bangkok buddy, Leslie Chow (Jeong). The first “Hangover” was lewd and rude and a surprise hit; No. 2 upped the ante by transporting the first’s Las Vegas shenanigans into Thailand, amping up the violence and stupidity. For No. 3, the only way to outdo the previous editions was by killing people — which they do. Without the shock of the new, this “Hangover” just flounders around, gasping for air. And, to make matters worse, the film ends a full 12 minutes before the credits roll. I needed a stiff drink after this one. Extras: “Replacing Zach: The Secret Auditions,” outtakes, “The Wolfpack’s Wildest Stunts,” “Zach Galifianakis in His Own Words,” “Pushing the Limits,” action mash-up, “Inside Focus: The Real Chow,” extended scenes. Vitals: Director: Todd Phillips. Stars: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Vigman, Sasha Barrese, Jamie Chung, John Goodman. 2013, CC, MPAA rating: R, 100 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $112.142 million, Warner.