JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Acting, Theater, Film and TV Forum "G-A-C" Review: "HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE.."/ John Cho/ Kal Penn

There's ENTERTAINMENT...and..There's entertainment.

I'm afraid "HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANIMO BAY" falls into the Latter Category, but most of it IS..entertaining.

This movie, reminiscent of the "Cheech & Chong" Flicks of yesteryear, relies heavily on Weed, 'Shrooms, & Bongs to keep the laughs coming, while Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) work in Bad Ethnic & Scatological Gags (Galore) while running from Overzealous Federales, intent on sending them BACK to Guantanimo..on Land & Air & Sea.

Humanely, the "Fart Gag" hits you in the first 5 Minutes & you get in the Sophomoric Mood of this flick early-on. There's something here to insult Everybody, from Southern Rednecks, Black Basketballers-to-the-KKK. Both Democrats and Republicans'll get a pretty good chuckle out of the Bros doin'-a-doobie with George W. at the Presidential Ranch, & I think, overall, the Writers' "Point" about overzealous anti-terrorists IS a good one.

Now, IF I was a HS or College Kid AND I wanted to take a DATE to a "Gross-Out Comedy Flick" I'd probably consider buyin' Tix to this off-beat, often-fun, frequently-Gross "Stoner's Flick"...Written/Directed by John Huriwitz & Hayden Schlossberg..as a Sequil to the Successful "Harold & Kumar Visit White Castle."

With all that said, I'll give the Bros a "6-Outta-10" & warn ya the "Bottomless Party" is reason-enough to leave the kids at-home. It's also hard to laugh-off the 2 characters that suffer gruesome demises after a lotta screen time. So..you might just wanna consider Escaping-from "Escape from Guantanimo Bay"..tho it's a notch-better than the Usual TV Pablum and it IS a JOY to hear a LIVE Audience supplying the Laugh Tracks..and our Preview Audience WAS yukking it up, Considerably.

Final Analysis: IF you can't conjure-up your "Inner HS Student" it's probably better to seek out real ENTERTAINMENT, Folks.

JMO, Keep-or-Sweep-it.

Big Hugs,
Stan

Did you like the first one? I thought it was really funny on cable... I am curious if this is better or worse or exactly the same as the first one?

Brian

HIDee Big Bro~!

I confess to having missed the Original...(Which I read..later..kinda Bombed at The Box Office, but FLEW in DVD Form!)

Thus, the Bros are Back...with perhaps better-financing & promo. I'll also confess I hadda beg La Femme to go over to the Tribune & pick up the Free Tickets to the Preview...(I wouldna have seen it if it wasn't a "freebie.")

Original Working Title was "Harold & Kumar visit Amsterdam"...(& they hardly visit THAT place, too!) (But ya see A-dam in the Closing Credits...finally!)

Now WISH I'd seen the Original so I could've done perhaps better on this Review. As Sequils Go...did have some decent Laughs..probably The Original was even better?

Let me know~

Big Guy-Hug,
Stan