A couple of weeks ago, I took my wife out for a grown-up movie night at our favorite local theater.  The AMC 20 Mile Theater is just a couple of minutes from home.  We love that theater.  They have ample parking, I’ve never had to wait in line, the theaters are rarely full to capacity, so there’s plenty of places to sit, pretty much anytime you want.  I’ve actually sat in that theater and took in a movie by myself before (during the latest show).  Add to that a stand with all the full popcorn, soda, candy, all fully stocked, fresh and delicious, though not necessarily nutritious.  They play all the latest movies even 3D so this is not like a “dollar theater” where everything is a month or two old.  So I support this theater more than I normally would.  I go to more movies than I have in years and buy popcorn and snacks because I want the theater to do well.  On top of all that AMC has a STUBS program that makes this an even greater deal.  If you haven’t gone to this theater, you must.

On to the review.  I had seen the first Hangover movie and was unimpressed, save for a couple of moments which I can’t recall, but I am sure I liked a few moments.  I did not think it was a really funny movie by any means.  Somehow the premise of “I drank so much I can’t remember what I did last night” doesn’t seem like an entire movie premise.  It seems like a Saturday Night Live sketch at best and served by a five minute sketch.  But they made an entertaining, cohesive movie out of the first one.   Fair enough.  But a sequel?  Well, it was mom and dad’s night out, so let’s go see this new movie everyone is talking about.  Full disclosure – My wife had not seen the first one, but it mattered not I told her.  They always make these sequel things so that the audience can just jump in.  This proved to be true, however she fell asleep as the whole thing was unfunny and bored her.

Anyway, I don’t want to get into the specifics of the movie in case you have not seen it and want to.  But I must share my opinions on this particular bizarre franchise.  Again, I don’t get how you extend what is at best a five minute sketch into an entire movie.  I also do not get how it all gets repeated in a second movie, because that’s all it is.  The movie was gross, lame and over the top.  There was more male anatomical exposure and suggestions of unnatural acts than reasonable.  I find it increasingly odd that a story went a round a while ago that one of the stars at one point objected to Mel Gibson having a role in the movie on some grounds I can’t recall.  Yet when I finally see this product this guy was trying to protect, theres drug usage, a smoking monkey, all types of lascivious scenarios to say the least, I wonder – no actually I don’t – but it’s really strange what goes on in Hollywood.  This much is clear, the sum of two movies that in my opinion have been extended from a pretty played-out premise (5 min SNL sketch) has somehow managed to make around a quarter of a billion dollars.  This also means that it is likely a third movie will likely be produced, which will probably make a lot of money too.    I tried to like the movie.  I really did..

I typically like movies that get bad reviews, because I feel that entertainment is why we even go see movies.  Not every movie has to be life-changing.  Sometimes we just want to see things blow up, or have a guy act completely crazy, or whatever.  But this movie is just bad.  If I had a rating system on here, a feature I’m thinking about, I would give this a 1/2 star.