Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (**1/4)

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle didn’t quite reinvent the stoner comedy, but it had a unique dynamic between the two leads and seemed organically conceived. This feels strained, like the work of people forced to come up with a second act when the first one said all that needed to be said. Despite all the emphasis on pot humor, the duo (John Cho, Kal Penn) here don’t seem like stoners, just smart kids who make foolish choices, like lighting up on a plane, which is how Guantanamo comes into the picture. Yes, it’s strained. The ensuing escape turns this into a road movie, with the boys fleeing the law and trying to hook up with once and future girlfriends. An amiable goofiness pervades. The reappearance of Neil Patrick Harris as pot-smoking, prostitute-loving “Neil Patrick Harris” (to quote the credits) has an amusing randomness about it. Some of the humor relates to stereotyping, not only of the Asian stars but a redneck couple who help out the two fugitives. The characters are still solid, but neither the plot nor the jokes are enough to make this stand out among other comic offerings.

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viewed 5/3/08; revised 3/30/14

previous version of review:

An admission: I never saw Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, so I have no idea if this is worse or better. As for this sequel, I wasn’t impressed one way or the other. Despite all the emphasis on pot humor, the duo (John Cho, Kal Penn) don’t seem like stoners, just smart kids who make foolish choices, like lighting up on a plane, which is how Guantanamo comes into the picture. The ensuing escape turns this into a road movie, with the boys fleeing the law and trying to hook up with once and future girlfriends. An amiable goofiness pervades. The reappearance of Neil Patrick Harris as pot-smoking, prostitute-loving “Neil Patrick Harris” (to quote the credits) has an amusing randomness about it. Some of the humor relates to stereotyping, not only of the Asian stars but a redneck couple who help out the two fugitives. I liked the characters, but neither the plot nor the jokes are enough to make this stand out among other comic offerings.