A guest post by BionicSlime
Ever since they first went to White Castle, “Harold and Kumar” have become quite a successful comedy franchise duo. First it was White Castle, then escaping from Guantanamo bay, and now they are tackling Christmas (appropriate considering it is the holiday season).
Their well-known style of perverted, weed smoking, profanity spewing humor has served them well in the past and even though it’s been quite some time since their last film came out, this “Christmas story” certainly does not disappoint.
Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) have split apart over the time, with Harold getting married and preparing Christmas for his fiancé’s fearsome family, and Kumar still doing what he does best: smoke weed. However, a mysterious Christmas package reunites the two friends, as well as destroys Harold’s Christmas tree; forcing the two to go on another crazy, hilarious, Neil Patrick Harris packed adventure in order to find a new tree and somehow; survive the holidays.
I frankly can’t stand 3D, it annoys me mentally, and physically whenever I find out I HAVE to see the film in 3D if I want to see it at all. However, “A very Harold and Kumar’s Christmas” takes the 3D aspect seriously (in the most disturbing and silly methods). This movie gives you your 3D’s money worth and puts everything from pot smoke, beer pong balls, debris, and other things too obscene to list in this review. The movie is 100% crass and enjoys every minute of it, this movie’s humor is loaded with all kinds of dirty one liners and perverse scenes that will make your eyes cringe in 3D disgust…or laughter…which is pretty much what this movie is all about. Compared to the first two films, this one flows together much faster and a lot smoother with very little down time or concern about trying to make a cohesive story or plot.
Harold and Kumar’s series have always been about drugs, laughs, and fowl language and those who roll their eyes at such gimmicks will want to steer clear from this film.
Not really much to say about Kal Penn and John Cho, they have been playing these characters so long it’s like they have been playing themselves the whole and it makes them all the more easier to laugh at and enjoy. The movie was just one big fun, 3D ride; I know I keep talking about the 3D but in reality, that’s 90% of the movie’s appeal: the use of the 3D.
Without it, most of these jokes would have seemed overused and dull, it’s the 3D that pulls everything together so nicely and actually enhances the movie like it SHOULD and doesn’t waste your time with post converted crap like you have seen in past SO CALLED 3D films. If there were any major flaws I’d have to say they fall with the secondary characters, they just don’t measure up to our leading pot headed pals and their comical contributions aren’t as funny as they probably thought it was. I also wish we got more of Neil Patrick Harris. His introduction is fabulously hilarious and as always, he steals every scene he’s in and makes us remember why they keep bringing him back.However, this time, he felt less involved than usual and I just would have appreciated seeing more of NPH.
Overall, I feel this holiday film will definitely serve the name of “Harold and Kumar” well and actually, I think it surpasses the second film in almost every way. Everyone stays their lovable, enjoyable selves, the humor comes fast and always delivers, and the 3D aspect truly makes this film a must watch for those who doubt 3D’s effectiveness. This movie is far from perfect, it’s still a lot of potty mouthed pot heads and weed related humor but this movie surpassed my low expectations and gave me my 3D’s money worth. So here’s my advice: pay for the 3D glasses, see the movie, neither will disappoint you.
