.: Roberts' Reviews - Movie Reviews :.

The unwritten rule for action film sequels is more bullets, more explosions, more stunts. It's a rule that has been followed for as long as there have been sequels and you can look at the Bad Boys franchise or Lethal Weapon movies to prove the point.

Comedies are different. Sequels usually hash out the same characters in different situations resembling their first appearance in our viewing lives and rarely do they offer any new creative chuckles. Home Alone 2 is probably the best example of a film that tried to simply rinse and repeat for the second kick at our box office dollar.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay tries a little harder. As a follow up to Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, the film takes up mere hours after the conclusion of the first. For the Harold and Kumar stoners that can't remember the final frames of the original, Harold finally works up the courage to speak to the girl in his apartment complex only to find that she is on her way to Amsterdam. Kumar suggests a trip to the country where cannabis is legal and this then leads effortlessly into their preparation for their journey across the pond at the beginning of H&K Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

For those of you unfamiliar with the two lead characters, there isn't a lot of character depth that you have to dive into to get caught up to speed. Harold is the office worker that is neat and meticulous. Kumar is the genius potential doctor that slobs around life and cares for nothing that he can't roll and smoke. They are the new age Odd Couple.

Their first adventure in their second film gets off to a flying start when they board a plane for their cross Atlantic trip. Kumar is flagged by airport security and engages the officer in a racism confrontation that sets the theme for most of the HAKEFGB running time. While up in the air, Kumar tries to smoke up in the washroom using a homemade smokeless bong. When a curious eye gets a look at him and yells "terrorist" you can imagine the non-chuckles that can be extracted from 'bong' sounding similar to 'bomb'. It reminded me of something that might happen on an episode of Three's Company, but at least this forced humor to set up the premise of the film does not continue with any great repetition.

Harold and Kumar are then sent to Guantanamo Bay where laughter is about as likely as small breasted Big Brother contestant. Laughs are squeezed from the humor sponge with characters like Big Bob that tries to force the two captives into some kind of sandwich that I can't bring myself to either describing or reliving. Luckily for both the characters and the audience, Harold and Kumar escape and the more genuine humor can flow as easily as the chuckles did while watching the predecessor.

Now on the run, Harold and Kumar are pursued by one Ron Fox (Rob Corddry - who will be represented in five separate films in 2008), an agent as politically correct as Borat on shrooms. Ron is determined to catch the two fugitives thinking they are a national security risk and much of the ongoing humor will be a result of his ongoing pursuit and Harold and Kumar's road trip to Texas to meet up with old friends that might have connections to clear their name.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is silly and stupid. It's a film that should be watched stoned and it makes no excuses for catering to that audience. Once the film gets flight and becomes an odyssey across the country with interesting characters and wacky situations, the movie provides the tears of laughter that the first film did so successfully. Whether it's the hick family with the Cyclops spawn, the old friend who is having a bottomless pool party or Kumar's ex-girlfriend that sneaks from her fiancée to smoke reefer, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is fun, albeit forgetful, trip that is worth the time and financial investment.

The big payoff comes when Harold and Kumar accidentally parachute into the cottage retreat of President George W. Bush who has a bachelor pad to die for and sits around with the two main characters smoking joints laced with cocaine. James Adomian (who portrays the President on The Late Show with Craig Ferguson) does a pretty convincing job as a stoned Commander and Chief - misrepresenting words and hand mannerisms are to a T. And it was a much needed breath of fresh air at his introduction into the film as it was beginning to fly into same old 'Been there. Done that' territory.

And on that 'Been there. Done that' note, characters other than Harold and Kumar make a return visit with hit-and-miss results in the sequel. Neil Patrick Harris trying his best to play Neil Patrick Harris is back again and his shroom eating, booze guzzling, whore branding experiences were met with uproarious results in the theatre screening.
Characters played by Eddie Kaye Thomas and David Krumholtz were less than stellar. Their appearance in the film seemed like an excuse to exploit some Jewish racism and the lack of humor it provided will remind me to take a bathroom break once they appear on screen in my subsequent viewings.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay ends up being just as good as the first which was just above average. The humor is definitely there and the up quotient of nudity (and there is a lot) and raunchy humor (if a face being hit with masturbation ejaculate is your idea of 'ha ha') is well placed if not overplayed. Stoners might enjoy the film more than the button-up types, but if you buy a ticket for Harold and Kumar and don't know what to expect, then it's your own fault if you don't get the jokes.