Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

In 2004, America was introduced Harold and Kumar, the Cheech and Chong of a new generation. We followed the stoner best friends around for a night while they tried to score the perfect meal, burgers from White Castle. Four years later, they are back out at in a far less funny, far more political romp.

Picking up about an hour after the first movie ended Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are packing for Amsterdam to catch Harold’s new love interest. Before they know it, they land in Guantanamo Bay as suspected terrorists, getting “cock-sandwiches” shoved in their faces.

The movie may just as well be call Harold & Kumar Get Busted on a Plane, or Get a Nice Car in Miami, or Find an Inbred Kid in a Basement, or better still, Have a Political Agenda. Their escape from Guantanamo is minor scene in the film, like the ones mentioned above; it has no business being the title. These movies don’t aim for accuracy, which is fine, but if you want to be over-the-top, then make it funny, leave the political agendas out.

Speaking often about prisoner treatment, racial profiling, racism, and our current administration, this sequel dedicates too much time to preaching not enough time toking, which is what the frat-boys came to see.

The movie will attract and please its core audience (especially with the likes of two knockouts, Danneel Harris and Paula Garcés) but the rest of us expecting a hint of the humor we got in 2004, we better look elsewhere.

There is a great flashback scene in which we are introduced to the guys in college. Before Kumar was wild and crazy and irresponsible, before he had ever taken a hit. This is the makings for a far more entertaining movie. A prequel, Harold and Kumar Before the First Hit, if you will. That’s something I’d see. D