The Hangover was a monumental success upon its release, which was lauded by critics and fans and launched Bradley Copper, Zach Galifianakis, and director Todd Phillips into the limelight. Moreover, it made a blast at the box office, racking in $469 million on a budget of $35 million, which meant a sequel was inevitable, and two years later, The Hangover Part II opened in theatres.
Much like its predecessor, the sequel became a huge box-office hit, becoming the highest-grossing entry in the trilogy, but unlike the first one, the second one hasn’t particularly aged well.
Some Aspects of The Hangover Part II Hasn’t Aged Well
Similar to what Michael Bay did with Bad Bays 2, Todd Phillips doubled down on the edginess with the sequel, and for many, it proved to be a step too far. And the time hasn’t been kind to the film, as some of the sequences presented in the Bradley Cooper-led feature haven’t aged well. In the comedy, when Stu discovers that he slept with a transgender woman, the revelation is designed to make the target audience laugh. However, many lambasted the film for being another example of using blatant transphobia as a trope to get the target audience laughing.
During the Vietnam War, photographer Eddie Adams captured the horrors of the war in one of the most iconic photos from the conflict, which involved a Vietnamese general executing an officer. In the end credits for The Hangover sequel, the creators incorporated an image parodying the iconic photo, which saw Cooper posing as the executioner. This didn’t sit well with many, including late critic Roger Eberts, who gave the sequel two stars.
Todd Phillips Has No Regrets Including a Scene That Didn’t Sit Well With Parents
While not suitable for kids, this didn’t stop Todd Phillips from incorporating a scene of a baby getting hit by a car door. Reflecting on it, Ed Helms revealed that there was a lot of debate on set regarding the polarizing nature of the scene, even though they used a doll.
When asked about his stance on the scene, the Joker director backed the scene, stating that he found it funny.
He said:
I thought it was funny. But I understand people thinking that’s f**ked up: ‘You don’t have a kid, Todd. You don’t understand.
Even though the film isn’t for everyone, if fans can look past its problematic aspects, the comedy can be genuinely funny, thanks to Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis.
The Hangover Part II is available to stream on Max.
