Page 34 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 5, 2013 Misadventures continue in ‘The Hangover: Part III’ Justin Bartha, Zack Galifianakis, Ed Helms, and Bradley Cooper in ‘The Hangover: Part III.’ by Dennis Seuling “The Hangover: Part III” continues the bizarre adventures of pals Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zack Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha). Foregoing the odd surrealism that characterized the first film, this edition is tame by comparison and plays more like a traditional caper film. Gone are the inspired lunacy, mysterious plot, and raunchy touches. What is left is a tepid, ho-hum conclusion to the franchise. Alan is out of control. He is a boy-man who indulges every whim, however immature, inappropriate, or politically incorrect. His family’s wealth allows him to flit through life unfocused. His “Wolf Pack” buddies come together for an intervention and agree to drive him to a rehab facility in Arizona. On the way, they are carjacked by mobster Marshall (John Goodman), who takes Doug hostage. Marshall’s real object is Chow (Ken Jeung), a thief who has stolen $20 million in gold from him. Only when Doug’s friends deliver Chow to Marshall will Doug be freed. Thus begins what should have been a comic odyssey, but instead turns into a surprisingly unfunny road trip, with jokes and comic setups few and far between. Because the three principals reprise their roles from the first two pictures, viewers know them well and anticipate plenty of comic hijinks. There are a few good moments, but the movie has a dark, mean-spirited tone that thwarts any attempts at humor. The journey takes Phil, Stu, and Alan to Mexico and Las Vegas, where all the trouble originated in the first movie. There are a few interesting plot twists along the way, but they are not clever enough to shore up a shaky plot. Director Todd Phillips incorporates lots of gratuitous profanity and audacious behavior, which are meant to push the envelope of good taste, but only come off as desperate attempts to be witty and adventurous. Galifianakis’ Alan dominates this film, and that is its primary problem. He seems to have a repertoire of one expression, looks stiff throughout, and is downright annoying. His Alan grates on and eventually alienates the viewer. His antics seldom evoke even a weak smile, let alone belly laughs. An opening day audience was unusually quiet, particularly during Galifianakis’ comic scenes. In a good comedy, there is usually plenty of audible laughter in the theater. Rather than the human cartoon he played in the first film, Jeung makes his Chow less funny and more lethal. Vengeful and unhesitant to shoot people in cold blood, the character is hardly material for chuckles, though Jeung does his best to shift gears from sociopath to comic relief. With not too much script trimming, Chow would be right at home as a serious villain in a “Die Hard” or James Bond movie. “The Hangover: Part III” is underwritten as far as laughs are concerned, and overwritten with unnecessary plot ramifications that have no payoff. In its attempt to replicate the elements that made the first picture a hit and provide a new adventure for the buddies, the film is a dreary slog. Rated R for excessive strong language, sexual references, violence, and drug content, “The Hangover: Part III” has taken over several screens of a local multiplex, a trend common these days for movies touted by the studios to be potential blockbusters. It is a pity that such a lame effort takes away so much theater space from movies that might be more worthwhile.