April 27, 2008 02:16

Zheng Han

I'm usually not a big fan of comedy movies. Not because I'm not a big fan of comedy, but I just don't want to pay 8 bucks for a Rob Schneider movie. Luckily, Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay isn't about a guy magically becoming a woman, a black man having to dress up as a white man or some combination of both. Instead, this movie deals with the ever so popular racism-based humor differently, a series of scenarios where ethnicities directly interact with each other.

The first Herold and Kumar set the tone with its ridiculous plot where the ultimate goal is to get some White Castle burgers. After watching the movie, I immediately had a desire for two things, White Castle burgers and to ride on the back of a cheetah. Although the original was a change of pace compared to your average comedy, it still felt like they held back from utilizing what made the movie special: two asian main characters. Since then, movies like Borat have opened the door for harder racial comedy and in this sequel, they really let loose.

The film starts by setting up an absurd scenario where the two main characters are confused for terrorists and locked up in Guantanamo Bay. They soon escape the prison and get back to America but find themselves on a journey from Florida to Texas without any identification. The entire middle portion of the movie plays more like a chain of Mad TV sketches glued loosely by plot, except they're actually funny. All the scenarios involved some interaction between one of three different Caucasian prototypes and a minority race. Each of these scenes had its own politically incorrect, no, extremely politically incorrect laugh-out-loud jokes.

Now, mandatory with modern comedies, the second Harold and Kumar had its share of nudity and heavy raunchiness. There were parts of the movie that were so raunchy, I said to myself "wait, they're allowed to show that?". Also in the spirit of modern comedies like Road Trip, anything involving the Wayans Brothers and the original Harold and Kumar, drugs had a big part of the movie. In fact, one could say that although traveling to Texas was their main quest, weed and sex was the Optional Quest... ha ha? However, these elements were subtle enough where it didn't dominate the plot so if you're not a big fan of dirty humor or pothead jokes, then they won't ruin the movie for you. Well, with the exception of the twenty female genitalia planted in front of you throughout the movie, you really can't miss those. But let's face it, if you wanted clean humor, go watch a Tim Allen movie and if you wanted to see something unfunny, go see a Tim Allen movie. This romp delivers what was expected to its target audience.

Although the main plot was set up in hilarious fashion, the forced love story that was injected throughout the film was unbelievable. There also was a completely unbelievable happy ending that had high levels of cheesiness and a whacky impersonation gag (trying hard not to spoil it for you) that really made me feel like they wre trying too hard. Despite these shortcomings, and after all the movie had to end somehow, Harold and Kumar was funny from start to finish.

The movie was extremely well casted from head to toe. John Cho does a great job and showed a lot of variety with his character. Neil Patrick Harris makes another appearance as drug abusing maniac, as well as many guest appearances from second grade comedians. Overall this movie was hilarious and in most aspects better than the first one.

Rating: 4/5