Sequel no equal to original 'Hangover'

I'd normally recommend skipping most of “The Hangover Part II,” then coming in for the riotous closing credits, which offer the grossest and edgiest sight gags and provoke the best-earned laughs.

Trouble is, the closing credits won't make sense without seeing the entire movie.

So, in a sense, “The Hangover Part II” is one big, drawn-out setup for a strobing punch line, mainly the adults-only photographs flashed over the ending credits.

“Part II” faithfully replicates the elements that made its 2009 original such a wonderfully shocking and daring adult comedy hit, and the biggest-grossing R-rated comedy in Hollywood history.

Paradoxically, by doing that, the sequel fails to replicate the chief element that made the first one so innovative; we had no idea what outrageous thing might happen next.

“The Hangover” followed no formula at all; “Part II” faithfully follows the same plot with the same lying, cheating, selfish characters, essentially trading in innovation for a proven box office formula. (This is a common malady for many sequels.)

So, we know that Phil (reprised by Bradley Cooper) will call a bride-to-be (here, a Thai native named Lauren, played by Jamie Chung), apologizing for screwing things up.

Then we'll be treated to a flashback showing Phil and his friends Stu the timid dentist (Ed Helms) and Alan the immature weirdo (Zach Galifianakis) celebrating at Stu's bachelor party, then waking up the next day with no memory of what happened all night before.

As expected, one of the guys at the party — Lauren's cello-playing underage brother Teddy (Mason Lee) — mysteriously disappears, and the others spend the rest of the movie looking for him, not in Las Vegas, but in Bangkok, and they have no idea how they even got there.

Justin Bartha again plays Doug, who in the first film served as the missing groom. He doesn't do much better for screen time here. The script (co-written by director Todd Phillips) relegates him to the sidelines by sticking him with Lauren while his buddies share in the adventure.

Ken Jeong returns as sassy criminal Mr. Chow, who feels shoved into the plot, probably as an appeasement to many fans who expect him back.

A slumming Paul Giamatti drops into the story as a criminal boss who threatens to kill the missing Teddy if Mr. Chow doesn't fork over bank accounts with passwords, or something like that.

Most people probably know that Mel Gibson was originally cast as the needle artist who gives Stu a horrific tattoo on his face.

Cast members refused to work with the controversial actor, who was then replaced by Liam Neeson, who then had to be replaced by Nick Cassavetes because of scheduling conflicts. (Cassavetes is quite convincing in his brief role as Tattoo Joe.)

“The Hangover Part II” features a dandy car chase, a severed finger, an utterly stupid reconciliation and strong feelings of déjà vu all over again.

You know a sequel is treading comic water when it relies on a cute, drug-dealer monkey to perform sexual sight gags for cheap laughs.

And wouldn't it have been nice if Mike Tyson's name had been left off the credits, so his eleventh hour cameo could have been a pleasant surprise?

Nope. Not here.

Because the R-rated comedy that once earned the highest numbers is now just going by them.

<b>“The Hangover Part II”</b>

★ ★

<b>Starring: </b>Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Paul Giamatti

<b>Directed by: </b>Todd Phillips

<b>Other: </b>A Warner Bros. release. Rated R for drug use, language, nudity, sexual situations, violence. 102 minutes.