The disjointed House Party 3 lacks the genial goofiness and infectious good-nature of the first films.
Meant as a natural progression to the escapades of the hip-hop duo, it's about the engagement of Kid to the beautiful Veda (who replaces ex-girlfriend Sydney). Kid's anxieties about matrimony serve cement a vignettish comedy about his his friendship with Play and his disapproving in-laws.
The material for the series was always ephemeral, but House Party 3 turned too self-conscious about its humor and characters. The success of each party film depended on the quality of its guests. Despite talent drawn from hot clubs and TV shows, comedians Bernice Mac, Michael Colyar, and Chris Tucker from HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," young rappers "Immature," and a female group called "Sex as a Weapon," House Party 3 didn't fully utilize its varied cast.
Pandering to the audience, the movie comes to life only in the last reel, when everybody shows up at Kid's bachelor party. Remarkably, despite divergent quality, the House Party series found its audience and New Line scored a huge success with all three movies.
