The Hangover III opened in theaters to scathing reviews from critics, who generally liked it even less than The Hangover II, which many had slammed as an unimaginative carbon copy of the franchise's first installment. Movie review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes rates the film as only 24% fresh.

One of the biggest complaints about The Hangover III is that, contrary to what the title suggests, there’s no hangover to speak of. The storyline of the film revolves around Wolfpack members Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha) taking Alan (played by Zach Galifanakis/ the one who gave the group their K9 moniker), to a rehab facility after his dad passes away. There’s a kidnapping, there’s Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), but no memory-less morning after.

Giving the film just half of a star, the New York Post’s Kyle Smith wrote, "The good news is that The Hangover Part III isn't a rerun like the second episode. The bad news is everything else. For all the promise of mayhem and WTF moments, the final episode hits you with all the force of a warm can of O'Doul's.”

Hangover Part III is dully straightforward stuff, with none of the jack-in-the-trunk surprises and little of the inspired crassness of the original “Hangover,” wrote Ty Burr of the Boston Globe, who gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars in one of the better star-ratings from a top critic.

The Washington Post’s Michael O’Sullivan was likewise bored by the latest installment. “This third Hangover is dull,” he said plainly. “Coupled with its logic headaches, it left me feeling like I needed an Alka-Seltzer Plus. Anything to add a little fizzy relief to these flat and unfunny proceedings,” he quipped.

Written and directed by Todd Phillips, with help on the script by Craig Manzin, The Hangover III is currently in wide release. And although the critics are panning it, according to Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of average viewers give it a thumbs up.

The Hangover III is rated R for language, sexual references, some violence and drug content, and brief graphic nudity.

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