A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
It may not be the next Christmas Vacation, but anyone who enjoyed the prior films (especially the first one), will likely find something to be jolly about.
The originalHarold and Kumar(Go to White Castle ) was a softheaded one - shot funniness that seemed to throw everything but the kitchen sink at audiences in an endeavor to elicit a laugh . There were strippers , the skinny games , a raccoon , and even a misogynous version of Doogie Howser himself , Neil Patrick Harris , before his return to the public eye .
The film ’s followup , Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay , relied heavily on retool versions of anterior gags , but went on to receipts twice as much as its predecessor , which easily paved the way for the third installment , A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas . Is3D Christmasa lackluster franchise hard currency - grab ? Or like this year’sFinal Destination 5 , does the film make originative employment of its 3D gimmick and offer a tongue - in - cheek comedy experience ?
Unfortunately , for the majority of the movie , the 3D gags are nonexistent - although the Christmas storey background unquestionably provides plenty of entertaining counter - programming for the approaching vacation season . There are a number of amusing variation on iconic holiday movie staple - such as the frozen knife scenery inA Christmas Story- but , in spite of all the wintertime movie burlesque , it ’s unlikely thatA Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmaswill find a longterm office in the vacation classic echelon .
TheHarold and Kumarstories are n’t as serialize as similar obscene comedy offerings , such asThe HangoverorAmerican Pieseries . At its core,3D Christmasis mostly a holiday moving picture put-on that happens to star Harold ( John Cho ) and Kumar ( Kal Penn ) and , as a upshot , filmgoers wo n’t ask prior backstory to enjoy the proceedings . That say , there are plenty of call backs for dedicated buff of the franchise .
The basic story occurs six year after the event ofEscape from Guantanamo Bayand finds the titulary duet estranged ( due to different living choices ) until they are inevitably forced into the wilds of New York City to detect a Christmas tree worthy of Harold ’s Church Father in jurisprudence , Mr. Perez ( Danny Trejo ) . Along the way , they trip into another over - the - top adventure , and also reunite with franchise - friend Neil Patrick Harris .
Like any vacation spoof , the plot is simple enough and progresses for no other purpose than to take the brace into one over - the - top scenario after another . However , in malice of all the crazy antics , A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is too often bogged down with overly - mushy drama between the two main character . While there are a few humourous consequence in the first turn , the picture pass a plenty of time upfront toy up the tatterdemalion kinship between Harold and Kumar - and it is n’t until the second routine that the jokes find their footing .
This constrained relationship between the two booster is only the first indicator that the film is juggle too much ; what we finally get is a mixed bag of comedy import juxtapose against large ( and more mature ) storylines . InA Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas poop jokes and pregnancy co - exist on the same layer - but the sentimental aspects and the comedy muzzle both land too close-fitting to the middle and never find a balance between funny and meaningful . Some moviegoer will defend the film by say " This is Harold and Kumar - it ’s not conjecture to be meaningful ! " but someone should have mentioned that to the filmmakers - since the flick wastes a lot of metre on uninteresting ( and unfunny ) character drama .
That articulate , minute to moment some of the comedy ready musical composition and call backs do tender some really funny ( and mayhap express joy out loud ) moments - even if they are surround by less interesting padding . Thomas Lennon play Harold ’s uptight suburban acquaintance , Todd , who is really only in the flick so that his three - year - old daughter , Ava ( Ashley and Chloe Coss ) , can get a secondhand high and have cocaine blow in her face . Ava may be the most humorous addition to the minutes - and not just because of the " wow , they give-up the ghost there " response filmgoers will have to her . Ashley and Chloe ’s combined effort is , astonishingly , one of the most entertaining public presentation in the film .
Adding to the glut of storylines , there are a turn of franchise call vertebral column shoe - tusk into the proceeding - such as visual aspect by Neil Patrick Harris , Rosenberg ( Eddie Kaye Thomas ) and Goldstein ( David Krumholtz ) - which are entirely hit or miss . Unsurprisingly , Harris elevates the film with a figure of glossa - in - cheek gag about his sexuality and larger - than - life persona - as well as a few 4th - wall nods to the overarchingHarold and Kumarfranchise . Unfortunately , the Rosenberg and Goldstein chronological succession is near cringe - worthy , and a further example that , in the procedure of attempting to farm up ( while delay dependable to its roots ) , the film simply bit off more than it could chew .
John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris, and Kal Penn in ‘A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’
As for the 3D - unlike the aforementionedFinal Destination 5,A Very Harold and Kumar three-D Christmasrarely makes worthwhile use out of the data formatting . Despite a telephone number of tongue - in - cheek quotation to 3D , the film abandons creative ( i.e. over - the - top ) use of the medium after the first fifteen mo . For the continue track down time , the 3D is mostly relegated to confetti poppers and shooting various liquids at the filmdom in dull movement . Anyone who watch the movie in 2D will no doubt discover where they ’re missing a 3D gag , but it ’s surd to imagine that the tot welfare is in reality deserving the price .
A Very Harold and Kumar 3-D Christmasdefinitely offers over - the - top counter - programing for the vacation time of year ( which will be dominate by sappy titles likeNew Years Eve ) . That said , the film falls short of being a holiday classic or an enjoyable 3D experience - meaning , in the last , it ’s little more than anotherHarold and Kumarfilm . It may not be the nextChristmas Vacation , but anyone who revel the anterior films ( especially the first one ) , will probably get something to be jolly about .
If you ’re still on the fence aboutA Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas , check out the drone below :
Claymation Kumar, Squirrel, and Harold
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A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmasis now in theaters .
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas reunites Harold and Kumar , played by John Cho and Kal Penn , in a drollery adventure set around the holiday season . The plot follow the duo as they navigate a series of mishap after a occult software system mistakenly get at Kumar ’s doorstep . This installment continues the series ' assay-mark of exorbitant humor and friendly relationship .
