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A MOVIE SO (NOT) NICE THEY MADE IT TWICE!
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Truth-in-blogging requires me to say that Robyn and I are two of the few people who didn't love The Hangover. Still, we were in the minority. If you happen to be one of those who liked The Hangover you're pretty much guaranteed to enjoy The Hangover Part 2 SINCE IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME MOVIE!!! (Make a timeline of both movies then place them side-by-side and see if it's not exactly the same movie.) There's no point in repeating the plot: if you saw the first movie you've seen the sequel.
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Bradley Cooper proves he has real "leading man" chops playing Phil, the ringleader of this merry band of misfits. Ed Helms is still completely schlubby as Stu (and, yes, he gets a song). Zach Galifanakis is even more of a passive-aggressive a##h#le in the sequel while Justin Bartha gets quickly pushed out of the action (just like the first movie). Ken Jeong has a larger role as Mr. Chow (and thus is more annoying). Even Mike Tyson shows up for another turn in the barrel. Only the tiger escapes this travesty (to be replaced by a drug-dealing chain-smoking monkey).
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The Hangover Part 2 pushes the bounds of outrageousness but I found most of the humor more cringe-inducing than laugh-out-loud (or even quietly) funny. There's plenty of shock value but not a lot to give you belly laughs. Still, the movie has the biggest opening-week Box Office ever so I must be missing something. Still, I'll be interested in seeing what the box office does next week. The movie isn't for kids (or a lot of adults) so let your opinion of the last movie help decided whether you want to see the sequel.
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I found The Hangover Part 2 particularly annoying. The actors weren't required to go anywhere new with their roles and all the scriptwriters had to do was bring up copies of the first script on their laptops and make a few small changes. All the Producers had to do was sit back and rake in the cash. This is just laziness of the worst sort so that, if for no other reason, is why I rated this a complete failure.
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FINAL GRADE: F-
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HOW TO MAKE A SEQUEL THE RIGHT WAY
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When I went to see Kung Fu Panda I wasn't expecting much: in fact I expected I'd hate it from start to finish: boy was I surprised! From start to finish the movie was a triumph. Going in to Kung Fu Panda 2 I was expecting a great deal--and I'm happy to report the movie exceeded expectations on almost all levels. Yes, you've seen the plot before but the movie has so much heart you quickly get sucked in and can forgive a lack of originality.
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Jack Black brings the perfect combination of comedy, heart and vulnerability to his portrayal of Panda Po. Too much comedy or too much pathos could have driven the performance into a ditch but he managed to walk the knife edge of excellence. Gary Oldman simply oozes evil, as only a classicaly-trained English Actor can, in the part of Lord Shen the albino peacock. Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie and most of the original supporting cast reprise their roles and do first-rate jobs befitting top-drawer talent.
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Even if the script was complete crap the movie would be worth seeing on the big screen simply because of the sheer beauty of the art. With Kung Fu Panda 2, Dreamworks Animation has finally caught up (and maybe even passed) Disney Pixar. Whether the scene is loaded with action or simply a pastoral setting there's always something beautiful to see. The movie is sure to be nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar (and will probably win.)
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Kung Fu Panda 2 can be enjoyed by the whole family--from grandparents to young kids (who are old enough to sit through a movie at least). So what if there's a lack of original plotting? The formula is classic and it is executed to perfection. The movie would survive a small screen but the scope and beauty of the picture can best be appreciated on the big screen.
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FINAL GRADE: A+
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