THE HANGOVER PART II

It was once said by a director concerning sequels that "the audience want the same but something different" from their favourite movie follow-up.... This contradiction could explain why sequels are rarely a good thing.

Your enjoyment of the second bachelor night from hell will largely be dependant upon your love for the break-out 2009 comedy that introduced the world to "the wolf pack," tigers and jerking-off babies. If you loved it then this will be like having a second favourite child - you'll embrace it, you'll cheer it along but secretly you'll always have a special place in your heart for your first born.

The sequel plays out the original scenario literally scene for scene throughout and that should be a bad thing, or at least make it predictable and repetitive. Yet the strange thing is that, for the most part, it doesn't. It's like meeting an old friend you haven't seen in ages and finding out the subtle differences that have occurred. And warming to them.

The missing tooth is replaced by a tattoo; the prostitute is replaced by a kind-of prostitute (which gives one of the gross-out highlights of the movie) and the true ace card is the replacement of the baby with a drug-mule monkey. The lines of "I wish monkeys could Skype" and "they shot the monkey!" are comedy gold which makes up for the forced feeling of Ken Jeong's character being shoe-horned into the plot.

When they aren't playing out one of the "what we did but don't remember" gags, the set up for them does feel a tad tiring as you have sat and watched it before and it is those moments that make the sequel experience slightly jaded for the viewer - you're wanting the pay off for the next joke to arrive much sooner than before.

Overall, a good comedy and not the dud that you may have feared, it's a fun film that boasts one of the best entrances for a wedding ever.... speedboats rock!

UK release date: 27/05/11

Certificate: 15