Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

The Hangover Part II

also known as “The Hangover 2”
MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use and brief violent images.

Reviewed by: Joseph Yates
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Extremely Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Comedy Sequel
Length: 1 hr. 42 min.
Year of Release: 2011
USA Release: May 26, 2011 (wide—3,500+ theaters)
DVD: December 6, 2011
Copyright, Warner Bros. Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures

weddings

drunkenness

lust

lascivious

vulgarity and profanity

nudity

PURITY—Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

How can I deal with temptations? Answer

What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

fornication

Sex, Love and Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.
Featuring Bradley CooperPhil Wenneck
Jamie Chung … Stu’s Fiancee
Zach GalifianakisAlan Garner
Nick Cassavetes … Tattoo Shop Artist
Ed HelmsStu Price
Justin BarthaDoug Billings
Ken JeongMr. Chow
Todd Phillips … Mr. Creepy
Sasha Barrese … Tracy
Mike Tyson … Himself
See all »
Director Todd Phillips
Producer Green Hat Films
Legendary Pictures
Living Films
Steve Bing … executive producer
Scott Budnick … executive producer
See all »
Distributor Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures. Trademark logo.Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

“The wolfpack is back. Bangkok has them now.”

For some reason or another, the second movie of a series has a reputation for being worse than the first movie. Todd Phillips directed a hit comedy in 2009 called “The Hangover.” With the big success of the first, it was inevitable that there would be a sequel. Two years later, we have it, “The Hangover Part II.” The premise of the first film and the idiotic mess the protagonists found themselves in is what created the funniness of the film. Set two years later, this time Stu is getting married, instead of Doug. Stu’s wedding is to be in Thailand, which is where the majority of this film takes place.

Unfortunately, as a second film, “The Hangover Part II” falls into the mold of being worse than the first. This movie uses the same stellar cast as the first, but rehashes the plot almost exactly, with a few variations to make it just slightly different. The filming, itself, is well done, making Thailand look interesting. The technical and lighting effects are, also, done well. Most of the film’s laughs, that aren’t based in crudity, come from Galifinakis, such as hilarious talk of albino polar bears.

“The Hangover Part II” is rated “R” by the MPA for pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use, and brief violent images. Take the rating seriously. The film features almost a hundred uses of the f-bomb, and too many milder curse words to count. There is full frontal male nudity, and full frontal female nudity in the credits. Retracing their steps from the previous night, the main characters end up in a strip club. One character discovers that he had sex with a male-to-female transgender prostitute. There are frank sex discussions, sexual jokes, and visual sex allusions, including a monkey imitating oral sex.

Violence is mild, with the worst thing being a character getting shot in the arm. Also, a monk beats three men with a bamboo pole for bothering the monastery’s vow of silence and mediation.

The Bible talks about purity in simple terms. Philippians 4:8 reads, “Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise” (CEV).

With a film being so full of crude humor and shock jokes of how nasty they can get, how can we Christians follow Philippians 4:8? I am a big fan of comedy. So much so, that despite the crude content contained therein, I love the first movie. However, there comes a point when one must ask, what is the point? If all it takes to make a funny movie is to up the crudity level, then “The Hangover Part II” passes with flying colors. Even without the biblical mention of purity, “The Hangover Part II” just isn’t that funny. Sure, there are some laughs to be had. But with its stale plot, higher crude content level, and total sexual depravity, “The Hangover Part II” doesn’t even leave the keg.

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Extreme

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive

none

Neutral

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Negative
Negative—Do not waste your money on the ticket price. This film erodes the distinction between cinema and pornography. We are treated to discussions of fellatio performed by a monkey on a character in the film and receptive anal intercourse performed on one of the principal male characters by a she-male. We, also, get to see a full frontal nude of a she-male, and indeed, the she-male’s posterior. It is gross.

The only thing that can be said in its favor is that it is not ideological. It is merely obscene. The shots of Thailand are highly misleading. It is as if someone went to New York City and took no footage of the financial district and of Broadway and of Saks Fifth Avenue and Central Park, but rather focused on scenes of debauchery and poverty—which do exist—but are not the whole picture.

It is sporadically funny. But—oddly—it is occasionally “moralistic” with the arrest of an international criminal who has befriended one of the “wolf-pack”. He is probably the most sympathetic character in the film—because he has such a very low hurdle to clear. The loss of a young musician’s finger is decidedly unfunny.

This film is close to the line in terms of being able to be prosecuted for obscenity in certain parts of the country, for example, South Carolina. But if there were to be a prosecution, “Your Highness” is the stellar candidate, but it would merely make this trash more popular.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Blue, age 53 (Australia)
Negative—Yeah, it’s pretty bad. We didn’t even check the rating before we saw it, unfortunately. While the first one is funny and watchable, on a scale of one to “Bruno,” Hangover II is up there with “Bruno.” Also, the joke is just not funny a second time: the plot is really just like the first movie—same “oh no” moments, same goose chase, urban setting, Eureka realizations, oblivious wedding guests, and happy wedding ending. Except with more Mr. Chow and more pubic hair, to put it mildly.

There is also a monkey. Seeing the Three Best Friends and Alan in action again was pretty funny… but honestly, there wasn’t so much character development, as there was continuation. Alan is still hilarious. Stu wakes up with teeth intact, but a tattoo on his face. Monkey instead of tiger. Bangkok instead of Vegas. Frantic wives/girlfriends. The bride’s younger brother, not the groom, is missing. And once again, Alan is to blame. The more I think about it, the more I realize how similar the two movies are!

Anyway, now you know the slight variations and don’t even need to go see the movie. As far as the offensive content goes, TAKE THE REVIEWS SERIOUSLY. All true. I recommend “Fast Five.”
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Rebecca, age 20 (USA)
Negative—I’m ashamed of myself that: A.) I did not walk out as the film as it progressively became morally offensive and B.) I took one of my twenty three year old youth leaders to see this, thinking we would have a good laugh.

The movie shows full frontal nudity of a man that is transgender and the filthy language was deplorable. I understand that many thirteen year olds have gone in to see this movie with friends and their parents. We are becoming luke warm and by tolerating such sin calling it funny I believe has ramifications we have yet to see in our society. The only good I can pull from seeing this is to be able to Blog that NOBODY else should subject themselves to such trash and if I see anyone of the Actors in the airport where I work I pray God gives me the wisdom to hold them accountable to how they have taken any gift or talent and sold out the enemy!!!…
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2
Amalia, age 39 (USA)
Negative—Yeah, I only found out it was R rated after I bought the ticket, but I should have known better than to stay through the whole movie. Other than 3 “laugh out loud” scenes (which mostly consisted of nervous “OMG” laughter); it was deplorable. I would not recommend this movie in the least, nor is this movie appropriate for anyone, regardless of age or gender. Honestly, I’m ashamed to say “yes” anytime someone asks if I’ve seen it. Don’t watch it. It’s a waste of your time, money, and a degrading form of entertainment to subject yourself to. There are plenty of other movies to watch out there.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: ½
Jm, age 18 (Canada)
Comments from young people
Negative—I am a seventeen year old guy that saw this with a bunch of friends, because we all saw the first one together. The first movie is still really offensive, but it was funny and fine. This movie was the worst movie I’ve seen in my entire life. It was unthinkably offensive and not funny. After the movie I couldn’t even comprehend how they managed to show some things in this movie. The swearing is overexagerated and is just not needed, they drop the f-bomb numerous times where it doesn’t even make sense. I came out of the movie feeling dirty and ashamed to witness such boring, immoral, and disgusting themes. Never see this movie, ever.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2
Brandon, age 17 (USA)
Neutral—I, personally, enjoyed the Hangover pt. II. It is much like the first one, but that’s sort of what you should expect by going to see a sequel… Anyway, this movie was pretty offensive, but I can help you avoid the most obscene pieces! In regards to the famous, “she-man” scene, you can turn your head / close your eyes for the entire time that they’re in the back room of the strip club. The audio tells you the story, and watching this part is unnecessary. Also, I decided to walk out of the theater right before the credits started rolling, based on what the first movie was like, and according to my friends, it was a wise choice. The only other nudity I recall is a fairly unavoidable moment with Chow. Male frontal nudity is displayed, but shown in such a way that you don’t realize what you’re looking at until the scene has already passed. I was tipped off on these things before I saw it; so for me, this film was equally immoral as the first; no more, no less.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Austin, age 16 (USA)
Comments from non-viewers
Negative—If you can’t watch a movie with Jesus sitting next to you, you shouldn’t be watching it at all. How any Christian could even watch this movie and imagine it would be acceptable in the eyes of God, not in their own eyes, is beyond me. What Bible are you reading? 99% of all movies made are totally incompatible with the kind of obedience we should be showing to God. The eye is the window of the soul. Be honest with God and yourself.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: none
Erik, age 37 (USA)
Negative—I totally agree with Erik. I never saw the first one, and I refuse to see the 2nd. It’s extremely sad to see “Christians” defend movies like this that are full of sin. As Christians, we should know better. We should NEVER put ourselves in a position to fall away from God. Non-Christians, as well as children, look at Christians every single day to see how we live our lives. It’s a shame so many so called Christians don’t care what they look at. Lead by example!!!
Leslie, age 29 (USA)
Negative—I am reading through the negative comments (just new to this Web site… and I cannot understand why people are opting to view this R rated movie in the first place? …Look at the ratings, people! If the ratings are lenient (they are in my opinion), then wouldn’t an R rating give you a clue? It is going to have content that is filthy! It’s a no-brainer. Just stay away from it.
Nicole, age 36 (USA)
Negative—I had to read the reviews for this movie for reasons too long to explain, and, honestly, I am almost in tears. I am literally sick to my stomach, and I know that for some that may seem extreme; I can’t even imagine how our Heavenly Father must feel. After all, we were bought at an extremely high price.
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K, age 32 (Canada)
I have NOT seen this movie, nor do I want to… we have to stand together against movies like this by NOT BUYING A TICKET TO SEE THEM, and I am sure a lot of other fellow believers feel the same way, so please don’t fall in to this trap, so easily set by the devil himself
My Ratings: Moral rating: / Moviemaking quality:
Chris, age 22 (USA)