Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay – 2008

*** Out of ****

Four years ago, a little film did something that few comedies can do each year, did something few movies of any genre can do, and did something that a stoner comedy has rarely ever done; And that is bring some surprise back into Hollywood, some freshness and some laughter, dragging along a big bag of cultural insight. Well received by critics and audiences and spawning a strong cult following on DVD shelves, the open ended adventures of Harold and Kumar were sure to continue.

While not quite as smoothly executed as its red-eyed predecessor, it has certain elements that actually raise it above the original. Returning are those anti-clichés that made the first Harold and Kumar such a standout, and of course returning are the charismatic and atypical leads John Cho as the uptight Harold and Kal Penn as screw-up extraordinaire, Kumar. This time it is the writers from the first, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg that take the directors chair, and they clearly share the same off-taste as Danny Leiner. Taking place immediately after the events of the moderately eventful White Castle trip (Hint: sarcasm), Harold plans to jet off to Amsterdam to chase his love, Maria (Paula Garces), with Kumar in tow, no doubt craving the weed-legal land afar. At the airport, they run into Kumar’s ex-girlfriend, whom they discover, is engaged to be married within a few days time. The news hits the clearly still lovelorn Kumar hard, but the imminent trip to Amsterdam pulls him onward.

After a dumb craving for some pre-Amsterdam pot, results in a case of mistaken vocabulary on the plane, (bong for bomb) Harold and Kumar are branded as terrorists and shoved in Guantanamo Bay. Making their quick escape they begin their patented quirky passage all across the country. Their plan is to make it to the home of Kumar’s ex, Vanessa, where they hope her influential, but slightly stuck-up fiancé can get them exonerated. Chased by the racist twin of Uncle Sam, Agent Ron Fox (Rob Corddry) the duo try to avoid capture, while weaving around the sometimes literal roadblocks that fall in their path. Their obstacles along the way include hicks who have a bit more going for them than meets the eye, a mob of drunken KKK members, George Bush, a visit to the hood, and of course, a reunion with the drug lord himself Neil Patrick Harris.

Now, for the aforementioned elements that shine above its predecessor; these come in two, semi-overlapping segments involving a hilarious flashback to Harold and Kumar’s university days, involving Kumar’s first meeting with his to lady loves, Vanessa and Ms. Mary Jane. These segments, and others involving Vanessa and Kumar, pulsate with genuine sweetness that I was not at all expecting, and rival the tone and punctuality of many romantic comedies. But fear not to all those who may be gathering that this H&K may be a bit of a cop-out, because their raunchy, pot-smoking, girl chasing antics are still floating around in spades.

There indeed some problems with this film though. The opening act is a bit dry, and the film takes a while to get going. Similarly, the closing scene feels stuck on and a tad contrived, and some of the same problems exist as in the first, taking the form of flat jokes and tired antics. But with the likeable leads, and still boasting some biting political insight, it is a worthy follow-up and shows that the adventures of Harold and Kumar aren’t up in smoke yet.

© 2008 Simon Brookfield