By Lindsay Christ
A great movie is one that handles issues like the war on terror, airport security and the mistreatment of prisoners in a sensitive, objective manner.
For now, there’s “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” the follow-up to the 2004 hit “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.”
In the first movie, audiences followed these lovable stoners as they went on a tumultuous journey to satisfy their case of the munchies. The sequel proves to be just as outrageous, funny and marijuana-induced as the first.
The film starts with Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) getting ready to go to Amsterdam, where Harold’s love interest Maria (Paula Garcés) is vacationing, and of course, where their substance of choice is legal. Kumar, however, cannot wait until landing to get his fix, and attempts to get high using a smokeless bong that he invented.
The plan fails, the bong gets mistaken for a bomb and the two are arrested. Rob Corddry of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” plays the ridiculously prejudiced and politically incorrect Ron Fox, second in command of Homeland Security. Fox is convinced that they are terrorists from North Korea and Al Qaeda working together and Harold and Kumar quickly find themselves as prisoners in Guantanamo Bay as a result.Escaping shortly after they get there, the boys manage to find their way back to the States, where they start on their hilarious adventure to try and clear their names.
Along the way they find themselves in ridiculous predicaments, including partying with the Klu Klux Klan and having a heart to heart with President, making for hilarious scenes.
The main highlight of the movie is the return of Neil Patrick Harris as “Neil Patrick Harris,” who provides many laughs with his crazy antics and outlandish conduct. The movie would definitely have benefitted if he had been in more scenes.
Penn and Cho both give great performances that keep in line with their characters from the orginal. Cho is still the more uptight, rule-following Harold who often becomes frustrated with the circumstances in which they find themselves, usually due to Kumar. Penn plays the carefree and impulsive Kumar who viewers saw in the first movie, but this time there is a more intimate look at his character. Penn plays the role with both silliness and vulnerability, as it is shown how he was before he got into marijuana and how he has unresolved feelings for his engaged ex-girlfriend (Danneel Harris).
Both Cho and Penn have an uncanny ability to deliver comedic relief while showing the powerful bond between two friends.
This sequel is definitely a must-see for anyone who enjoyed the first. “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” proves to be just as hysterical-though perhaps more crude at times. Ultimately, this film is for viewers who love comedy, don’t mind nudity and are always rooting for the underdogs, whether or not they’re high.
In ‘Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,’ everyone’s favorite potheads (John Cho, left, and Kal Penn, center) find themselves accused of being terrorists by Homeland Security member Ron Fox (Rob Corddry, right, of ‘The Daily Show.’) (allmoviephoto.com)
(allmoviephoto.com)