Com'on guys, you know the drill - The Hangover 2 Review

There are some moments in film that are considered truly legendary.  Darth Vader declaring that he was Luke Skywalker's father.  Peter Venkman declaring that Walter Peck had no dick.  And, of course, Alan slicing his hand open with a knife declaring himself as blood brothers with Stu, Phil, and Doug.  Since the ending of the original, I couldn't wait for the Hangover 2's release.  And I was not disappointed.

                Within the first few seconds of the film’s opening, we were treated to gut-wrenching laughs as Stu (played by Ed Helms) was being berated by Phil (portrayed brilliantly by Bradley Cooper) during a dental examination and discussion of Stu’s upcoming wedding in Thailand.  From there, the gags seamlessly didn’t stop.  At some points, I almost found it hard to breath as each joke fired out like a chain gun.

                To whet your appetite a bit while keeping this review spoiler free, Stu is well aware of what happened at the last bachelor party held in their circle of friends and opted for a simple bonfire on the beach while drinking a single bottle of beer.  Of course, they wake up in Bangkok with no recollection of what happened the previous day and Stu’s future brother-in-law has gone missing. 

                And so, the search begins.  Similar gags from the previous film find their way back into the sequel with all knew ones leaving their “horrifying” mark (poor, poor Stu).  The film ends with a similar picture montage just like its predecessor, revealing the details of their horrifying trip and showcasing some of the best gages ever

In many ways, this is a solid representation of the first film and in others it surpasses it.  However, some of the more popular critics don’t share my opinion.  I’m not exactly sure what they were looking at but I’d give this film a solid A.  Critics often are all over the place with their opinions, especially concerning sequels.  They’ll rip one apart from diverging too far away from the original, or in this case, staying to close to the previous formula.  I say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

People went into this movie completely expecting to see an updated version of the first film.  And that’s exactly what they got.  Some jokes were similar, others completely original.  Of course, the general formula had to be the same.  I just have to ask, what the hell did critics expect to see?  It’s titled “The Hangover 2”.  No subtitles.  Just another number.  An addition to an already wonderful original.  That’s what we got.  As other’s continue to throw in their two cents of displeasure, I have to pose the same question.

“What were you expecting?”

Everyone I asked thus far that didn’t enjoy the movie simply told me they didn’t like it.  When I asked why, many of them had no real response while others said it was too similar to the first one.  I swear, some people are too hard to please.  Can’t we just enjoy a film for what it is?  A hilarious, swear-filled romp into the seedy underworld of Thailand?  I’m sure other people share my opinion.  That’s why it made almost $90 million over the weekend, trumping Pirates 4.

If you’re not easily offended, do yourself a favor and go see the Hangover 2 right now.  Check your expectations at the door, sit back and just enjoy the damn movie without overanalyzing every frame.  You’ll thank me later.

Final Rating: Mother-Fucking A

HAVE AT THEE! - Thor Review

So after a long journey and a fantastic midnight premiere I have arrived to give the world my marvelous thoughts about the new Thor movie.

                Let me preface this by saying that I am a HUGE Thor fan.  His lore and stories throughout the years have been an amazing journey.  One of my favorites is the Ragnarok series which debuted many years back during the Avengers Disassembled arc.  I went into this movie thinking I was going to have fun, see come cool CG, and watch Thor come alive on the silver screen.

                And that's exactly what I got.  I have to give the writers credit.  They were able to take the Thor mythos and give us just enough to not only explain what was going on for new fans but also satiate the appetite of long time fans.  From the way he used his hammer to even the subtlest of mannerisms, Chris Hemsworth nailed it!

                The biggest surprise of the entire film was the level of humor involved.  It was almost to the point at which I would consider it to be an action comedy film (which isn't a bad thing considering).  Thor interacting with earthlings is absolutely priceless.  They completely covered the fact that he pretty much was a prick before being banished to the mortal realm.

                Sadly, there was but one disappointment that I suffered.  One injustice that was not delivered.  The one thing I wanted; nay, the ONLY thing I wanted to happen once during the entire film was for Thor to say his trademark catchphrase:

                "Have at thee!"

                And it didn't happen.  Did it take away from the movie experience?  Not in the slightest.  But for a long time fan of Thor it was kind of a letdown.  After watching the Hulk finish off the Abomination while saying "HULK SMASH" I thought it was almost a damn guarantee.  Alas, it was absent from the final cut of the film.  I hope the director has a damn good explanation for it when the Blu-ray comes out.

                There wasn't much else to complain about.  I honestly could have done without the Natalie Portman character all together.  Loki was in top form.  Anthony Hopkins was a brilliant Odin.  Minor flaws here or  there but nothing too horrendous.

                All in all, you should go see it whether you are a comic book fan or not.  Is it the best Marvel movie to date?  Not exactly.  While Thor was great, Iron Man was borderline perfect.  Still, everyone should go check out this movie.  You will not be disappointed.

Final Rating: A-