The first Hangover left me with a headache. But while I don't think it
deserves its reputation, there is a dizzy dream/nightmare-like quality
to the original that's missing here, entertaining as the sequel is.
Other critics have slammed Part II for being repetitious. Certainly
it's got the same structure. Yet as the boys try to piece together
what happened the night before, the predicaments in which they find
themselves and the level of hysteria they engender aren't as fizzy as
the initial go-round. When Ken Jeong drops out early on, it's a big
loss. Fairly late in the game, Paul Giamatti shows up briefly and
gives the picture the slap in the face it needs. In between, the
“outrageousness” is pretty tame, with the big sight gag just another
chick-with-dick switcheroo (repeated, of course, in the snapshots
beside the credits). Zach, Ed, and Bradley play well off each other;
we're happy for them when it all comes out ok. But don't look for
gear-stripping anarchy. — Jeff Schultz