“The Hangover 2″ will certainly deliver an amazing opening weekend, but director Todd Phillips and team delivered few to zero original ideas. The film’s press this week has been consumed with critiques and comments surrounding the blatant use of male nudity to elicit laughs. Sadly, the debauchery of this shallow film with garner such huge box office returns that another chapter will be certain to follow. If you haven’t seen this film, you may want to skip my SPOILER laden critique.

While the film will make you laugh, especially if you enjoyed the first film set in Vegas, but is hardly worthy of the $8 average ticket price when theaters have so many more viable and entertaining options.

Another SPOILER warning – last chance to turn back!!!

The second “Hangover” is more of a reboot of the original than a sequel. A sequel implies a follow-up story, further character development or a new adventure for the cast of characters.

This film does none of those things.

In fact, “The Hangover 2″ is a replication of the original, replaying the sequences and scenes from Vegas changing only the setting and subjecting the audiences to male frontal nudity claiming to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling.

Some examples of the substitutions used by creator Todd Phillips and team:

• The baby found in the hotel has been replaced by a chain-smoking, drug dealing monkey
• Our Wolfpack doesn’t misplace the groom, but rather the bride’s brother
• When Stu awakens he still has all of his teeth, but also has a Mike Tyson tattoo
• Instead of breaking into Mike Tyson’s house to steal a tiger, they abduct a monk
• Stu ditches the whiny piano song for a version of “Allantown” on the guitar
• While Stu doesn’t marry a prostitute, he succumbs to a Bangkok hermaphrodite stripper

and the list could go on…

Sure Zach Galifianakis steals every scene as the disturbed man-child Alan, but so does Chris Hemsworth is “Thor” or Johnny Depp in the fourth “Pirates” film.

Instead of fueling Hollywood’s pathetic attempt to regurgitate a soulless, mind-numbing gross out film, go watch a more family friendly movie. The action is “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” never ceases and delivers a well developed and thoughtful story reminiscent of the original. While “Thor” is an average superhero film, setting up 2012′s “Avengers”, it offers a good comic book interpretation and plenty of action.

The “X-Men” reboot is more original than this remake disguised as a sequel. “Fast Five” has more original plot points and new ideas than the nightmarish trip to Bangkok.

When the box office receipts are tallied, “The Hangover” will assuredly make headlines, sadly crushing the competition with its frat house vulgarity.

Objectively watching this film you will certainly agree with the cast who repeatedly ask: “Why is this happening again?!?!”

My first effort at “blogging” before it was called “blogging” was a Pop Culture, Comic Book column at CrazedFanboy.com.

A lot sure has changed since these days.

Due to the support/pressure from my DOB comrades, Splash Page was resurrected to publish Pop Culture topics and the “State of the Nation” will continue to deal with politics and heavy issues.

Brandon has two comic book columns on Examiner:

http://www.examiner.com/comic-book-movies-in-national/brandon-jones

http://www.examiner.com/comic-books-in-tampa-bay/brandon-jones

The Desk of Brian recommends:

“Hangover 2″ roundup: Mike Tyson, sequel talk, Chow is naked & monkey owned the setNew ‘Hangover 2′ photos, bannerMel Gibson discusses “Hangover 2″ & problems“The Hangover II” movie reviewThree new “Hangover 2″ TV spotsDirector Todd Phillips talks “Hangover 2″New “Hangover 2″ photos & Paul Giamatti talks about his cameoDirector Todd Phillips confirms “Hangover 2″ will NOT have Charlie Sheen or Bill Clinton cameo