The opening scene of 72 Hours (2026) sets a frantic pace: Kevin Hart‘s Joe Nixon, a 40-year-old advertising executive clinging to relevance, stumbles into a Miami beach club, surrounded by twentysomethings fuelled by tequila and terrible decisions. It’s a setup that screams for laughs, but director Tim Story’s latest comedy never quite capitalizes on its promising premise. Instead, it settles for a series of broadly comedic moments that fail to coalesce into something truly memorable.

The film follows Joe Nixon (Hart), whose career is on the ropes after a string of failed campaigns. When he’s mistakenly added to a group chat planning a wild Miami bachelor party for his younger colleague Mason Moses (Mason Gooding), Joe sees an opportunity to relive his youth and save his professional reputation. The central conceit—a generational clash between Hart’s straight-laced exec and a crew of chaotic young adults—has potential, but it’s squandered in favor of half-hearted political incorrectness and lazy humor.

Hart, who has built a career on playing harried everymen, delivers a performance that feels familiar. There’s none of the nuance or depth he brought to roles like Ride Along or Central Intelligence, leaving Joe Nixon as little more than a vehicle for Hart’s signature frantic energy. Marcello Hernández, Kam Patterson, and Teyana Taylor provide able support, but their characters often feel one-dimensional, reduced to caricatures rather than fully realized individuals. The standout performance comes from Zach Cherry as Barry, a sarcastic and quick-witted member of the bachelor party who steals several scenes with his sharp delivery and impeccable comedic timing. Cherry’s ability to balance humor with genuine emotional beats makes him the film’s most compelling presence.

Visually, 72 Hours benefits from some vibrant Miami cinematography. The neon-lit nightlife and sun-drenched beaches are captured with a relaxed atmosphere that suggests the actors had fun making it.

Where 72 Hours stumbles is in its emotional core. Beneath the surface-level antics, there’s an attempt to explore themes of friendship and redemption, but these moments feel tacked on rather than earned. The film’s low Wokeometer score (2/10) suggests a deliberate avoidance of progressive themes in favor of tried-and-true comedic tropes, which might appeal to some but feels outdated in 2026. While there are a few chuckles and funny moments, they’re not enough to sustain the film’s 93-minute runtime.

The film’s structure is another point of contention. The narrative unfolds in a series of loosely connected set pieces, each one vying for attention but ultimately failing to build on the previous one. This fragmented approach makes it difficult to invest in the characters or their predicaments, as the story jumps from one scenario to the next without any real cohesion.

Comparisons to The Hangover are inevitable, and 72 Hours ultimately falls short of that benchmark. Where The Hangover managed to balance raunchy humor with genuine emotional resonance, 72 Hours leans too heavily on its comedic elements at the expense of depth. The generational mix-ups and career-driven antics lack the wit or depth needed to elevate them beyond standard raunchy comedy fare.

Director Tim Story, known for his work on films like Ride Along and Think Like a Man, brings a consistent but uninspired approach to 72 Hours. His direction is serviceable, but it lacks the visual flair or narrative innovation that could have elevated the material. The pacing feels uneven, with moments of genuine humor undercut by lulls in energy. Story’s reliance on broad comedy and physical gags often overshadows the film’s more subtle, character-driven moments.

The film’s target audience is clear: fans of Hart’s previous comedies and those looking for a mindless night out. However, even within this niche, 72 Hours struggles to stand out. The humor is hit-or-miss, relying too heavily on outdated stereotypes and generational clichés. The film’s attempt to blend raunchy comedy with emotional depth falls flat, as the emotional beats feel forced and unearned.

In the end, 72 Hours is a missed opportunity—a comedy that could have been more than the sum of its parts but settles for being just another forgettable entry in the raunchy bachelor party genre.