Cult classics are a special breed of awesome. You might hear some people scoff at a certain movie title, but you just laugh it off knowing they’ve never given it a chance, or they’d understand how truly amazing it is. It’s almost like being a member of a less-intimidating, underground religious cult: All of the fun, but none of the punch drinking!
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is the greatly anticipated sequel to one of the most unexpected comedies of all time – Harold & Kumar go to White Castle (If you haven’t seen this movie, go to your room). Once again, we’re following our favorite pair of odd couple stoners; the uptight Harold (John Cho) and the way too laid back Kumar (Kal Penn) as they begin their pilgrimage to the holy land of the sticky-icky, Amsterdam.
However, their weed laced dreams are shattered harder than that time your RA walked in on you last April because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beach towel you stuffed under the door was child sized and CLEARLY not big enough, STEVE, WHAT THE SHIT WERE YOU THINKING. ahem
Kumar decides to celebrate early and break out his ‘smokeless bong’ on the plane. Thanks to racial profiling, the bong gets mistaken for a bomb, our boys immediately get smacked down by a way too over the top homeland security agent Rob Corddry, and are sent off to Guantanamo Bay, just like that.
Oddly enough, they escape and get back to the US in 5 minutes, and the whole movie focuses on their ‘on the run’ journey from homeland security while trying to get to Texas, where Harold’s friend, Colton, who has strong govt. ties and can clear their names is getting married to Kumar’s ex girlfriend, who he’s still very much in love with.
Yeah, it’s a little messy.
Unfortunately, Guantanamo Bay just doesn’t feel the same as White Castle. There’s way too much plot this time around, and the main theme of the movie (Kumar trying to get back the girl he loves from being married) starts to overshadow the entire ‘lets not get sent back to prison’ story line.
Still in it for the jokes? There’s definitely some scattered laughs to be had here and there (racism is fun!), but the freshness of Harold & Kumar’s random encounters seems less strong. Neil Patrick Harris returns as the same poon obsessed version of himself, but it’s basically the exact same joke as in White Castle; the only difference is this time it’s not 100% out of the blue, and not nearly as funny.
Even though it doesn’t stand up to the greatness of White Castle, Guantanamo Bay still has some solid laughs.
Counting from Forbidden Kingdom last week, this movie marks the second film straight where somebody gets golden showered right in the face. If Tony Stark gets streamed on next weekend in Iron Man, I’m going to be
A) Angry
B) Aroused
You decide.
Coming Soon: Iron Man, Indiana Jones and more!
Also: If you want me to
Go on, I dare ya.
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