It's Just Movies

— by ADAM POYNTER —

“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” is the world’s first drug-induced, holiday 3D movie spectacular.

Years after they visited White Castle and Guantanamo Bay, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are no longer best friends, but rather awkward acquaintances. Harold now works in a successful law firm and is married to the beautiful Maria (Paula Garcés) and living in the suburbs has a very different life now. On the other hand, Kumar still lives in the same rundown apartment and recently lost his girlfriend Gracie (Melissa Ordway) and spends his entire day smoking pot and getting high.

When a mystery package arrives at Kumar’s door addressed to Harold, he begrudgingly sets off on Christmas Eve to deliver it to him. When Kumar’s visit ends up causing Harold’s father-in-law’s (Danny Trejo) prized Christmas tree to go up in smoke, the duo embark on a classic adventure to find a replacement tree and quick. They will face foreigner mobsters, drugged-up babies, a drug-dealing Santa Claus, an epic beer pong battle, a Broadway musical number and much more on their trek across New York City this Christmas Eve.

Fans of these films will love the latest installment, better by far than “Escape from Guantanamo Bay” and almost as good as the original “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.” This film openly mocks 3D technology in its opening, but then uses the 3D is some of the most gimmicky but effective ways. No race, religion, sexual orientation or creed is safe as writers John Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg go out of their way to offend everyone. You either love or hate these movies and those who are willing to shell-out the money to see the movie and then the surcharge to see it in 3D will most likely love it. Although the film is about wild antics and outrageous scenarios, at its core it is about two best friends reconciling and rejoining forces — but you don’t focus on that much over all the fun you have while watching the movie.

The cameos and guest stars make up some of the best jokes of the film and, of course, in the No. 1 spot is Neil Patrick Harris, who is reprising his role as an extreme version of himself. For those who are thinking, “Wait, didn’t he get killed in the last film?,” don’t worry, they discuss that and quickly move on. He is so funny when he claims the whole “gay thing” is a public relations stunt and quickly goes back to his womanizing ways.

Patton Oswalt has a funny cameo in the beginning as a department store Santa and one of the other best new characters is Todd (Thomas Lennon), Harold’s new white collar best friend who has an adorable yet mischievous daughter. There is a running gag the more conservative audience members won’t find as funny when this toddler is constantly accidentally exposed to many different drugs gleefully. There is even a scene where the guys are roofied at a high school party and wind up in a claymation sequence trying to outrun an abominable snowman.

Overall, the film is funny, raunchy and shockingly hysterical. While a few of the jokes fall flat, the majority don’t. There are quite a few in-jokes that fans of the franchise will quickly notice while newcomers might miss. There are also nods to pop culture, such as an opening showcasing an Occupy Wall Street demonstration gone awry and even mentions of Kal Penn’s recent involvement in White House politics. So this film is all inclusive with added bonuses for the super fans.

With mnd-bending drug sequences, John Woo-style gunfights, everything from eggs to bodily fluids flying right off the screen at you and too many pot jokes to count, this movie is funny from the start and is sure to entertain and shock the audience for which it is marketed.

“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” is rated R for strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence and tokes its way into theaters today.

. . .

Follow Adam Poynter on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CCWGGuy.

And don’t forget to “Like” It’s Just Movies on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/itsjustmovies.