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Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay 8.5 out of 10 Posted: 08/11/08
Running time: 1:45 MPAA rating: R (Strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language and drug use.) Peruvian rating: Mayores de 18
Cast:
Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick
Harris, Rob Corddry, Danneel Harris, Eric Winter, Paula Garcés
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Score:
George S. Clinton |
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I’ve only watched the first film, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, once, and it was on cable. It was like two years ago, I believe, and the only thing I recall about that movie is that I almost died laughing while watching it. (I haven’t been able to found it on DVD yet, but I won’t give up my search.) After doing some research on the Internet, there was no doubt in my mind that a sequel for the film was obligatory, as it seems to have quite a cult following. Well, the sequel has now come. (I’ve watched it on DVD, though, as neither of the two installments were released in theatres here in Peru.) Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is one of the funniest films I’ve seen in some time, and although I really can’t compare it to the first part because I don’t remember much from it, (okay, okay, I do remember the basic plot, characters and some of the jokes) all I can say is that it has made me laugh like very few movies can nowadays.
The sequel tells the story of Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) who, having fulfilled their journey looking for White Castle burgers, have now decided to go to Amsterdam to track down Harold's potential girlfriend, Maria (Paula Garcés). Things gradually start to go wrong, though: first, Kumar beings to complain in the airport when he’s pulled aside at the security gate for a “random search”; later they encounter Kumar’s ex-girlfriend, Vanessa (Danneel Harris), and her fiancé, Colton (Eric Winter), just before getting inside their plane, and once inside their transport, the duo get mistaken for terrorists when Kumar tries to light up a bong inside the lavatory. The plane returns to the states, and a racist and ignorant FBI agent, Ron Fox (Rob Corddy) decides to put send them to Guantanamo Bay. After a few incidents and coincidences, our heroes escape the prison and arrive in Miami thanks to a group of Cubans, where they decide they have to find Colton so that their problem can be saved. (He has political influences.) On their way, they will find themselves in various silly situations featuring a KKK “party”, an inbred Cyclops, Neal Patrick Harris (making a return from the previous film) and more.
What I like about the Harold and Kumar movies is that, although they do have fans and a particular target audience, their creators never compromise their final product in other to make more dollars. In short, these films really do deserve their R rating, as they push the envelope for what can be shown in commercial comedies. This second part has it all: bodily fluids, weed, cigarettes, tons of profanity, female nudity (breasts, buns, bush), political incorrectness and even a little violence. I’m not saying these kinds of things are necessary in order to make a film funny, but it’s always refreshing to watch a movie that hasn’t been neutered in order to attract thirteen year olds. (As funny as I found Superhero Movie – yes, I do find it funny -, it definitely couldn’t show as many gross-out jokes as Harold and Kumar because of its PG-13 rating.) The jokes and gags in the flick are of the hit and miss variety, but fortunately there are more of the former than of the latter, making it a constantly funny and entertaining experience. Really, I’d find it difficult for any young person not to laugh at least a couple of times with this motion picture.
The Harold and Kumar flicks also work because of the chemistry between John Cho and Kal Penn, and because of their comedic timing. Yes, the screenplay is funny, but I’m pretty sure that if they had cast lesser actors in the lead roles, the movie would have been much, much lamer. Penn gets annoying a couple of times but nevertheless plays the role of the selfless, sex-obsessed stoner to perfection, while Cho makes his character immensely likeable and sometimes funny. Rob Corddy makes a good villain – he is as evil as he is ignorant; I must admit he sometimes got to my nerves, as the motivation behind his obsession on Harold and Kumar is really, really stupid. (Since he’s racist, he believes they are terrorists and that North Korea and Al Qaeda have started working together.) Danneel Harris and Paula Garcés look cute and give pretty good performances (although the latter has too little screentime for my taste), but the real scene-stealer is Neil Patrick Harris. Playing a parody of his own image, Harris appears in many of the film’s funniest scenes, and invests tons of energy into his performance. If the rumours of a third Harold and Kumar adventure are true, he’s got to return. (If you think this is impossible, just stay after the credits.)
The movie also has a political message of some sorts, although most of the time it is played for laughs. The government agents can’t seem to tell the difference between Arabs and Indians, or Koreans and the Chinese, which says a lot about post-9/11 racism. (I guess.) There’s also the appearance by a George W. Bush impersonator (his scenes is one of the funniest in the picture, despite the fact that the actor doesn’t look too much like the President) who likes to smoke weed, and helps our heroes because he’s having a good time with them. The film makes fun of everything you can think of, but I can’t imagine anyone being offended by it because a.) it’s so damned funny, and b.) if they are speaking against racism, why the hell would you complain? Also, since the movie deals more with bodily fluids, stoner jokes and sex than politics, the audience should realize it all shouldn’t be taken so seriously – this is a comedy, after all, so the idea is that you should laugh. And believe me, Harold and Kumar 2 does make one laugh. A lot.
Ultimately, all I can say is that I recommend Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay to anyone who is willing to watch a film that pushes the envelope of the R rating, and that doesn’t seem to care about anything that is parodying – because its only objective is to make the audience laugh, and the filmmakers would do anything to fulfill this. If you don’t mind a comedy having tons of female nudity, drugs, political jokes, vomit, farts and lots of silliness, then this movie is for you. What I like the most about the flick is that it knows it is only a dumb, stoner comedy, and it doesn’t try to be anything more. It will definitely fulfill the expectations of the fans, and it will possibly make a casual viewer laugh until he/she cries. I know comedy is subjective, but if you have a sense of humour similar to mine (if you’ve been reading my reviews for some time, you should have a pretty good idea of what my sense of humour consists of), you should have a really good time with this sequel.
©2008 Sebastián Zavala - Star Wars Epica