Seen on: April 26, 2008

The players: Directors: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Writers: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Cast: John Cho, Kal Penn, Eric Winter, David Krumholtz, Neil Patrick Harris

Facts of interest: The first film was produced on a budget of $9 million and grossed over $18 domestically.

The plot: After being arrested for bringing a bong on board of a plane, Harold (Cho) and Kumar (Penn) escape from Guantanamo Bay and try to track down a friend who could help them out. 

Our thoughts: Hard-core Harold and Kumar fans who had a great time at “White Castle” are likely to enjoy their second adventure “Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” but those new to the two stoners who constantly get themselves into trouble may feel a little too offended by the film’s crude humor and farcical aspects. Many sequels produced in Hollywood today obviously stand in the shadow of their superior predecessors, and this joint is no exception. Now it only remains to be seen how it does compared to the first flick’s domestic gross of $18 million.

As the film opens, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are packing for their much-anticipated trip to Amsterdam. Despite a minor run-in with a security guard at the airport, everything seems to be going well, at least until the two friends are mistaken for terrorists when Kumar sneaks a bong on board of the plane. This misunderstanding pretty much stets the stage for what is to follow. After a short visit to Guantanamo Bay, Harold and Kumar spend the remainder of the film trying to reach Texas, where an old friend (Eric Winter) may be able to help them clear their names.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” is the epitome of an embarrassing stoner pic, so if you’re not into marijuana, sex and tons of scatological jokes, make sure to stay far away from this mess. Personally, I don’t have anything against raunchy comedies in which the protagonists live off weed and talk nonsense most of the time (as long as it’s hilarious), but I simply can’t share all the hype over a film that expects its audience to appreciate bad taste. And trust me, there’s plenty of bad taste here.

Filmmakers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg ridicule everything from racial stereotypes to terrorism and the U.S. government, putting Harold and Kumar through the weirdest situations possible. In one scene, for instance, they argue with a terrorist over the greatness of donuts. In another (one of the funnier scenes), they smoke pot with President Bush, who tells them he would run the country differently if his father and Dick Cheney weren’t so hard on him. I must say this is probably the most positive image of Bush you’ll ever see on the big screen. 

Other than that, the embarrassing jokes just keep coming and the plot fails to increase its pace. Harold and Kumar seem to be having a great time on the screen despite being on the run from the FBI, but laughs remains scarce as the level of stupidity keeps growing. There’s not much I want to say about the performances, because acting like idiots is not really a difficult task. John Cho radiates more energy than Kal Penn, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. 

Freaky quote: "Are you retarded?” – John Cho

The final word: If you’re dying to see Rob Corddry play an FBI agent using the Bill of Rights to wipe his butt, or Neil Patrick Harris riding a unicorn, or Harold and Kumar cry their hearts out in front of prostitutes, “Escape from Guantanamo Bay” will probably be worth the price of admission. I couldn’t help but check my watch several times during the film because I was bored to death and disgusted most of the time. I wish they had kept them at Guantanamo. At least we would have never heard from them again.