Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) User Reviews

Y2K? Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

[jaredmobarak · 8/10 · 27 April 2008]

If you enjoyed Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and have any reservations about the sequel, fear not. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay may not be quite the same as its predecessor, but it brings enough of the story mechanics back and the stoner humor that made it a cult success. Writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, also serving as directors this time around, have upped the ante like the sequel cliché goes. There is more nudity, (with a bottomless party, how could there not?), a lot more swearing, and just plain old vulgarities every single second. As for the premise's blatant sending up of racial stereotypes and epithets, even those get a shot of adrenaline going from the city streets of Alabama, a KKK kegger, and the bigoted government officials unable to decipher the weird Chinese dialect, called English, spoken by Harold's parents. It definitely isn't pretty, bodily fluids flow freely, but the laughs never cease. When your goal is to bring the funny and there are times in the theatre when one can't hear the next line because of uproarious laughter, you know success is yours.

The beauty of this film is the amount of fun you know these guys are having. To get all the principals back for a second go round of a film that did no bank at the box office is quite the feat. Sure DVD sales and internet buzz was huge for the original, but did anyone ever think the boys would actually get to Amsterdam on the big screen? I know I didn't have that much faith. People could badmouth this effort very easily for many reasons, most obvious is the fact that it is pretty much the exact same film as the first. Yet, there were very few instances where I wasn't laughing let alone smiling at the proceedings. When else can you see a nod to the classics like The Goonies done so well? My biggest concern going in was with the war on terrorism satire that the trailers tried so hard to get across. When you put in an actor to play someone like George W. Bush, it can backfire and go completely awry. Surprisingly, though, that scene, amongst others, is actually pretty well done. The ineptitude of the American government is portrayed often—and actor Rob Corddry is the worst part of the film spearheading that aspect; I just don't like his schtick—yet there is always someone there to play the other side (Roger Bart) and show that while they know there are mistakes, they aren't a bunch of buffoons going around willy-nilly. If nothing else this film should be credited for finally having the guts to poke fun at the tragedy of 9-11. It's been so long and I think that humor is necessary for any sort of healing process. To have the fortitude to do the airplane scene with Kumar laughing in his Taliban garb motioning a crashing airport is not something to tread with lightly. Hurwitz and Schlossberg decided to go pedal to the metal with this film and they never make a compromise, kudos to them for that.

The film begins right where the first left off and everyone is still in the same frame of mind. To add a little spice to the mix, we do get introduced to a new character, Vanessa, an old flame of Kumar's. Being that she is about to marry an aspiring politician, the inclusion not only plays into the need of a love interest, (Maria is still in Amsterdam, and of course we all know the boys don't make it off the plane to see her), but also into the ability to bring the government in through his connections. Being on the cusp of even having the President attend his wedding, who better to go to for help in absolving their terrorist accusations? Vanessa is well played by the attractive Danneel Harris in a role that doesn't get much screen time. She is, however, involved in probably my favorite scene of the film—a flashback on how she meets Kumar and shows him the world of narcotics. It is a fantastic sequence helping to align his brains with the lifestyle he has begun to live in…and there is a brilliant cameo by Harold that brought the house down.

Of course the movie would be nothing without John Cho and Kal Penn, the titular characters respectively. Their rapport is fully intact and the shenanigans they get into are the impetus of the story. It's a shame that Cho is in practically nothing and Penn has been relegated to roles without lines (Superman Returns) and television ("24" and "House") because they could do so much better (as evidenced with The Namesake). This is their film and they do not disappoint, right until the end credits. There are a lot of cameos here as well, mostly from people that we saw in the original. Playing themselves in either stereotypical ways or as the butt of a racial joke, it's good to see them have a sense of humor. If only everyone in real life could have that attitude they wouldn't be cultivating racism by the sheer fact they accuse everyone of it. While that is probably another discussion for another time, at least this broad comedy has enough cultural value to realize it and put it into the minds of college kids for whom the film targets.

Oh, and did I mention Neil Patrick Harris? No? Well that must be because he is so brilliant words can't even describe. What a conclusion to his arc, just fantastic.

Delightfully Offensive!

[FwankFwank · 8/10 · 15 August 2008]

I loved the first one, and couldn't wait to see the next one. Most of its humor is either racial, sexual, or drug-related, so if you aren't into that, steer clear of this one. If you can appreciate that type of humor you will be laughing throughout the entire movie. It is also filled with many ridiculous "wtf" funny moments, reminiscent of the cheetah scene from the last movie. The movie itself isn't offensive, but a lot of the characters are, and Neil Patrick Harris returns once again and really stole the show for me. Some of the jokes are derived from the first movie, so I really recommend seeing the first one before you see this to get acquainted with the characters. So go grab some friends and get ready to laugh, one of the funniest movies of the year!

"Mitsubishiwa !!"

[djworkshard · 7/10 · 1 May 2008]

First let me say this movie was hilarious. Definitely a stoner movie, and as funny as the first. Actually, it may be funnier. Like most sequels they don't usually top the first one, and in most cases rehash the same old jokes. The story beings hours after their "White Castle" gorging ("Prepare to gorge yourself"),and after mistaking a "bong" for a "bomb", on their way to Amsterdam, Harold & Kumar are sent to Guantanmo Bay, and a chain reaction of foolishness and tomfoolery ensues. Lots of cameo's in this one, so you movie lovers keep an eye out. See if you can spot Freakshow from "White Castle" in a completely reversed role. If you're a fan of the first one, you will absolutely love "Guantanamo Bay." Go Roldy!! Go Kumi!!

The occasional good laugh among the crudity but too few and delivered with too little intelligence

[bob the moo · 4 August 2008]

For some reason I actually found the first film pretty enjoyable and it had enough laughs for me to justify coming back to the second film. The title made me think that the story would also lend itself to be a fairly one-sided p1ss-take of the US handling of the terrorism issue and I hoped this would add a sharp element to the otherwise stoner comedy. That the film opens with Kumar taking a dump and then ejaculating up over himself amazingly did not dissuade me from this belief. However as the film went on I realised that there would be nothing particularly smart about this film and that it is all about the stoner comedy as per the first film - which, like I said, I enjoyed.

Sadly though the second film falls way short of the mark in terms of laughs. In terms of being graphic, crude and obvious it is right on point though, but the problem is that little of this material is funny when it comes to execution. So in theory the scene with George Bush (one of the worst impersonators of him I've seen) could have been barbed and cutting, instead is just basic and surprisingly lazy. In fact "lazy" is a word that sprung to mind several times throughout the film mainly because of the lack of creativity within it and also the amount of box ticking. The lavatorial humour, the excessive nudity and usual homophobia (except of course when it comes to girls) is all present but only appears to be there so that the target audience can tick them off - at very least they linger long after the joke is made. In terms of playing with stereotypes and racial profiling it does offer more and there is a certain delight in seeing so many groups generalised and slandered, however again it is hard not to feel more could have been made of it. Maybe I'm expecting too much but there was opportunity for satire to be slipped in here but it never came and it is a lesser film for its absence.

It did still make me laugh but way too infrequently for me to enjoy as a comedy even if it does have really enjoyable hits. As before the sheer juxtaposition of Neil Patrick Harris' public image with that presented in these films makes his parts easy to enjoy, even if it is a bit too "easy" on this occasion and just feels like a retread of the first film. Cho and Penn make engaging leads and they play well to the material - that much of it isn't that good is not down to their performances, if anything they deserved better. The support cast features a wonderfully daft turn from Corddy but mostly just minor roles doing the basics.

Harold & Kumar 2 may suggest a political edge with its title but ultimately it is not much more than a repeat of the first film but with increased nudity and crudity but decreased laughter rate and entertainment value. It will probably still please teenage boys with the basics but offers little to a wider audience.

Harold and Kumar Escapes from Randomness

[burnit_now · 7/10 · 28 April 2008]

When I watched the first Harold and Kumar, I thought the film was hilarious. Two Asian dudes that goes on a crazy adventure just to get themselves some burgers. Memorable scenes were, Freakshow, Bobby Lee as the student, EEXXXTRRREEEEMMME, the Black guy in jail scenes and beating the Bag of Weed wife.

Unlike the first film, I don't think there were such memorable or funny scenes. But does that make the sequel bad? No. Why? Because this time, we have a plot! The quest is not just one linear goal now. The first film had Harold believing in himself and not doing other people's work, whereas Kumar had accepted that he is good at medicine. This second time around, their emotional goal is to grow up and find love.

Having hilarious flashbacks, EMO HAROLD, the writers "plant the seeds" for what happens later on in the film. And it works effectively. It gives the film a full circle appeal and much more touching than the first film. Neil Patrick Harris cameos in this film again, but I don't think his scenes were that funny. Not as funny as how he humps Harold's driver's seat in the first film.

Again, this film really is just a series of gags and racial commentary from start to finish and this time with more boobage. The love story is the icing on the cake which made me enjoy this film more than the first. Not all the scenes were good though, I didn't really find the George Bush scene that funny, but I guess it was written as a device to get keep the story going.

So the writers and directors, Hurwitz and Schlossberg, have definitely matured form the first film. At least in their writing, mimicking the Apatow group, IE, 40 yr old virgin, Superbad and Knocked Up, has given the characters more depth instead of just randomness.

This film, I would say, has grown from Family Guy to South Park quality. Harold and Kumar are will probably be memorable characters in film history. Whether or not they will make a third movie remains to be seen. The ending closes up nicely, but seeing that they made over $14Mill in their first weekend might say otherwise...

3.5/5

A great satire!

[petsteph1 · 7/10 · 4 June 2008]

Funny and acerbic. H & K open up the whole US experience. If ever a country needed to laugh at itself the US is the hottest candidate. H&K do it in spades. If Germany under Hitler had had these guys - and the same freedom of speech - the second war would never have happened. Or not.

So funny and so biting. If you want a laugh and some good social satire see this movie. If you want to feel comfortable that your leaders are caring for your ass - don't.

I watched it in two parts because it was too full-on and I needed to reflect. Reflection is a luxury. Not a vice. See it.

Still very funny, but not as enjoyable as the first film

[DonFishies · 7/10 · 25 April 2008]

I randomly watched Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle in theatres in summer 2004 not expecting much. But I ended up actually being kind of impressed by how funny and unique it was, especially for how stereotypical and ridiculous the movie sounded (another stoner road movie?). Now we are four years later, and surprisingly for such a small film, there is a sequel. And unique is what it continues to be.

Picking up mere hours after the first film, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are traveling to Amsterdam to follow Harold's dream girl, Maria (Paula Garcés). While on the plane, Kumar attempts to get high, but ends up sending the passengers and crew into a panic when they think he has a bomb. They re-route back to the States, where Homeland Security decides they are both terrorists, and sends them to the infamous titular prison. And as the title suggests, they escape, and spend the rest of the movie averting the law and attempting to clear their names.

There is not really much to the plot of the movie, but then again, there was not much to the original either. Instead of spending the movie getting into all kinds of random situations while searching for a White Castle, they spend this movie trying to stay out of the hands of Homeland Security. I was actually kind of weirded out by how political the film gets at times, but the idea of the film begs for there to be an inherent political context. And while there are a few lingering moments when the film submerges itself a bit too heavy handed into the political realm and parodies some of the most ridiculous things we have heard in the news about the government and Homeland Security, the film manages to stay very light and flaky when it comes to being serious. It does not want to be a message film (such as films like Lions for Lambs and Rendition), but merely a means of expressing some humour about ridiculous ideas we can only read about.

I liked that it continued the formula of pursuing the ending goal, and sticking to it (with many interjections along the way), but I thought the entire subplot involving a love interest for Kumar, played by Danneel Harris. It makes for some intriguing character development, and obviously leads to some key plot points in the movie, but it just felt a bit too contrived and clichéd for my liking. The subplot distracts from the key goal (even though it is heavily intertwined), but it just never pulled through the way I hoped it would. It even manages to address things that only get mere mentions instead of usable screen time (including one of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments in the entire film, which lasts for mere seconds). Doing away with her, or using her to a much lesser degree, could have only made this film shorter and leaner, as opposed to its slightly lengthy final version.

What did surprise me was that few jokes were repeated from the original film (minus the nods to the seemingly stronger than expected continuity), but a lot continue the trend of drug and sex jokes. Thankfully, much like the first film, the majority of them stick and are downright hilarious. Some reviewers may say they merely smiled at these jokes. But if you had any interest in the original film, chances are you may get slight convulsions at some of the things said and done here. A lot of them are not very original, but the cast makes them work wonderfully.

But unfortunately, the film plays it a little too fast and easy with the stereotype and racist jokes. I laughed at many of these jokes, but there were a few too many that bordered on bad taste, and a few that were just not funny at all. I realize the original film relied on jokes like these, but it never became a crutch for the film to walk on. This film seems to need it to drag itself around in certain areas, and did not need to have nearly as many of these style jokes. The sheer number of racist jokes that were just retreads of the past thirty years of cinema were too numerous to even try and count. It never got to the point of disgusting me, but simply disheartened me at the lengths the creators were willing to stoop to for slight chuckles.

Cho and Penn work magic together again in this film. They truly are an odd couple for the new century. They are not quite a profanity-laced/drug-infused version of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, but their chemistry on screen is better than most romantic comedy couplings. They have a natural rhythm together, and work off each other greatly. There is a genuine partnership at work here, and never once does it seem like either is strained or out of their element in their roles. They play their characters very straight and narrow, and even at the most ridiculous of moments, stay in character and stay funny (unlike other actors in similar comedies). Kudos to both for continuing to prove their worth as able-bodied comedic actors.

The rest of the main cast is a bit of a mixed bag. Garcés is barely in the movie, and Harris is really not that much of a treasure. Eric Winter and Roger Bart do alright in limited roles, while Rob Corddry hams it up a bit too hard (and is the perpetrator of the most stereotyping unfortunately). But of course, much like the first film, Neil Patrick Harris does a scene-stealing parody portrayal of himself, and nails every laugh he comes into contact with.

While it is not as surprising as the first film, this sequel is still a worthwhile piece of entertainment. It has plenty of laughs, but just do not expect anything wholly original.

7/10.

Harold & Kumar do it again

[JustCuriosity · 9/10 · 9 March 2008]

As a fan of Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, I really didn't think they could recapture the magic of the first film in the sequel. Sequels are, so often, horrible disappointments. But the World Premiere of Harold & Kumar Escape from Gauntanamo Bay last night as Austin's SXSW Film Festival was simply awesome. The audience loved America's favorite slackers on their next adventure as their trip to Amsterdam goes incredibly wrong.

Whereas the first film challenged racism and stereotyping, this one continued the theme into issues of racial profiling and War on Terror paranoia. These multicultural slackers are becoming American every-men that we can all relate to. While there are times when Harold & Kumar's antics are just plain silly, they are also incredible human characters who are struggling with real challenges around parents, romance, friendship, the law, and race. Harold & Kumar make us laugh while they also challenge our perceptions and expectations of social and political reality.

Cho and Penn were wonderful reprising their original roles. Neal Patrick Harris was back again as a strange variant of himself. Rod Corddry provides a wonderful addition to the cast as the completely paranoid government agent. Overall, the film is perhaps a tad below the original, but a tad below excellent is still a wonderful comic romp that all fans of the original and many new fans should enjoy. Unlike the first film which gained a cult following on DVD, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guatanamo Bay will undoubtedly be a huge hit in the theaters. The audience here in Austin absolutely loved the two lovable anti-heroes. I look forward to many more adventures from Harold and Kumar.

Few Comic Moments are it's Saving Grace

[DigitalPhreaker · 6/10 · 26 April 2008]

Let me start by saying that I love the first film. "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is enjoyable on so many different levels, mainly because of the complete and utter lack of thought behind it; that being said, the filmmakers managed to distract me from the fact that everything that was happening was absurd by the simple act of comedic timing.

I was neither surprised nor shocked to find out that a sequel was in the works and had little doubt that it would probably be a terrible film. Not only because it is so hard to recapture an almost nostalgic feeling from a preceding film, yet also because it is so hard to try again the second time.

"Escape from Guantanamo Bay" seemed like and hour and half of trying way too hard to be funny. What was so great about the first film, at least to me, was that the filmmakers knew they weren't making an Oscar worthy flick, nor a film that would be widely accepted: they were making a movie that they found funny, pot jokes and toilet humor included.

And while the sequel included all of these immature things, it also came with a sense of being forced, all these cliché jokes which have been overused so many times by countless up-and-coming comedians that anyone could see them coming a mile away.

I will give credit where it is due, however. There were a few times (very few, however) where I could not help but laugh incredibly hard. Somehow, and I'm not exactly sure exactly how, they managed to recapture what was so funny about the first film. Mainly, they were the scenes involving Neil Patrick Harris and the guy playing President Bush. Those scenes were so very different than I was expecting that the comedy that happened in them seemed liked gold, even if what was happening was the same stuff I have seen in countless other films.

I usually try to leave the brain at the door when I am seeing these kind of movies...and that usually works. But it was almost too hard to even do that as I watched "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay." Even the thoughtless stoner comedy had me going..."Um, this is stupid." I'm not saying it's not funny...nor am I saying it isn't enjoyable. However, if you are looking to enjoy it as much as the first film, you'll probably be disappointed.

Beware! Its a comedy roller coaster

[prateekarora · 10/10 · 29 April 2008]

Oh my god, I still don't know what hit me. I have been a big fan of the first part but this one is a different league guys. Not a single boring moment, very nice editing. And our favorite characters have done it again. They didn't leave a single stereotype and ignorance untouched in the movie.

Trust me it will not be fair to compare the White Castle part with this one, as this is just a different experience no less than a roller coaster ride of genuine comedy. This movie has taken what it did in the first one, to the next but different level. To point out, as pretty clear from the uncensored trailers, it was awesome to see NPH and G "Dubya" Bush. Cho and Penn are just non-stop fun and have some really hot girl friends. From Ta-Ta's of girls to bottom less parties, nothing felt out of place. We also get to know allot about H&K's past.

It deserves a standing ovation and that's what it got from the audience in the theater. Oh man, I am so getting this on DVD when the extended unrated version comes out.

probably more offensive than the first one,and nowhere near as funny

[disdressed12 · 6/10 · 23 October 2008]

this sequel to the first Harold and Kumar has some funny moments,but i didn't think it was anywhere near as funny as the first.the good news is that the laughs are full belly laughs,that will leave you crying.the bad news:there aren't very many of them.however,i did find that the story was better and more fleshed out.Rob Corddry is hysterical in his scenes.well most of them anyway.one thing i didn't care for is that there's a scenes which shifts the tone away fro the comedy.i found this inexplicable and also unnecessary.this movie is at least as offensive as the first one,probably more so.if the first one offended you,you'll want to avoid this one.for me,Harold and Kumar 2 is a 6/10

One of the worst sequels ever....terrible.....

[Pietruck · 3 May 2008]

First, let me say I was a big fan of the first Harold and Kumar film.

This sequel has none of the witty elements of the first film. The movie seemed like a weak student film with novice acting, poor direction, and no continuity (forget about how bad the writing was for this movie - here is a tip to the writers; that thing about smoking weed to get creativity, it is a myth so you might want to put the bong down next time). If this was the writer directors first film, it would surely be their last because it was so bad. Luckily, I didn't pay to see this junk and even so I feel like I should ask for money back! Don't say I didn't warn you......

The boys are back

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 October 2013]

This movie takes place right after the first movie. Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are flying off to Amsterdam to follow Maria (Paula Garcés). Only Kumar couldn't make it to Amsterdam without smoking a bong, and the guys are thrown into Guantanamo Bay.

The bromance between Harold and Kumar is still holding up strong. The movie works best when it concentrates on them only. This one introduces Vanessa (Danneel Ackles) as Kumar's college girlfriend. It's nice to get some depths to Kumar.

Rob Corddry is annoyingly over the top as the government agent coming after the pair. He's so stupid and annoying that it becomes a major problem. I rather have Tommy Lee Jones playing up searching every outhouse instead.

And Neil Patrick Harris is back and as good as ever.

It's people like you that make the world think Americans are stupid.

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 7 February 2009]

This was just about the craziest movie I have ever seen. It was like being on a roller coaster and feeling that you heart was going to give out.

There cannot possibly be any ethnic group that was left out of the insults and racists jokes in this film. It also included every single crude fart and toilet joke they could think of.

And, of course, it makes the government look like a complete bunch of boobs. Well, that part was accurate.

It was still funny.

It didn't hurt that it had Paula Garcés and Danneel Harris in it either.

A less funny sequel to a classic

[pdoodle-14028 · 7/10 · 1 August 2022]

The film is a direct sequel to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, takes about ten minutes after the ending of said movie. It has some funny scenes but is less simple then two stoners trying to get to white castle and everything goes wrong. It's two stoners trying to escape Guantanamo Bay and everything goes wrong. Even with all of this you'll still find your self laughing rather frequently. Don't expect the same quality of a movie as the last installment but is still a worthy watch if you enjoyed the last film. It is the weakest of the franchise but don't let that stop you from watching this or the next installment,( A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas).

Funniest Movie this Year

[masercot · 9/10 · 28 April 2008]

I saw this movie on Saturday and laughed aloud throughout.

This movie is not for everyone. There is nudity as well as drug and bodily function humor; however, it is definitely funny. Unlike most drug-themed movies, Harold and Kumar doesn't show the boys as being a couple of baked idiots, but as an intelligent sensitive individual paired with a baked idiot. Much like Bruce Willis' Blind Date, it only takes one person with absolutely no impulse control to make your life hell. As they said in Star Wars, however, there is another.

Neil Patrick Harris, after a cameo in the first movie, plays the same character only much further off the deep end than before. He is a mushroom-gobbling, whore-branding sociopath who makes Kumar look like an ivy league professor.

I must warn those who have seen the first movie. There are no cheetahs.

I am sorry...

Another fun ride

[nicholls905-280-546911 · 7/10 · 3 December 2019]

The first film has turned into a cult film, and is one of my favourite crazy films. The sequel maintains this ride with more crazy characters, while becoming a typical sequel with new cast members. This isn't in the same category as number one, but it's still a lot of fun. The return of the two leads is the key to this franchise and they throw everything into their roles. Silly film, but you wouldn't be here otherwise.

Major Letdown!

[astro7878 · 1/10 · 10 August 2008]

Like most sequels, this movie was horrible. I was looking forward to it but there is no amount of marijuana on the planet that would make this movie funny. Maybe if you are a 15 year old male (or extremely immature adult) you would find a few laughs but it was obvious these guys were just collecting a paycheck. Disgusting, implausible story lines and even Doogie Howser looked like he was just going through the motions. Note to directors and writers: don't work while you're high, wait until the end of the day. Don't get me wrong, I loved the first movie because it showed their personalities and quirks. The sequel showed their mannerisms exaggerated to the point of being forced and phony. I hope the third in this series has a better script and that the cast and crew make an effort instead of phoning it in.

Funny !

[ajopaul01 · 9/10 · 8 October 2008]

Kal Penn has done it again. The premise was set perfectly and the movie took us through the different oddities about the paranoid and mad ways of American reactions to war against terror. These two gentlemen are put behind bars and sent of Guantanama Bay. The journey begins there and its a fun ride ahead. The movie apart from being rip roaring funny, also brings out lot of mistaken or rather true clichés of American society. Be it geographical ethnic or even racist. The sensitive subjects are treated pretty nicely. I should say hilariously too. The expression Kal Penn brings about for different situations are perfect and fits the scenes very well. Trust me he's got a funny looking face.

Even better than the first for me

[jomayevans · 7/10 · 18 March 2024]

I always liked this one more from what I could remember . It's been well over a decade since I watched these but went watch the other yesterday and again tonight. And found it a great comfort film and had forgot some the gags. Though some were hit and miss. It was a great comfort film. So I thought this might not be to my liking as much as I remember as I only remembered cock meat sandwich & that I always found the plane scene amusing. But there was lots of other little things I'd forgotten. Like the hoodies. And the A hole agent ( who I found quite amusing watching him getting a rush from listening 🎶 to Danger Zone lmao) . Neither films are over top funny. They're just switch your mind off films. This tries to be more action film bigger budget while the first film is bit more chill stoner. I like them both equally I think..maybe not the ending in Amsterdam as much as no1s ending. But they're good to watch every once in a while, if you want to relax. What I love most about watching these films is it really shows how better society was back then and all races could laugh at themselves and their stereotypes. Which doesn't happen today .. Well mainly only 1 race always offended today. This was when every1 was fair game for a roast. We see Harold and kumar roast themselves. I totally forgot about Harold's " What tha Fa, What tha Fa" at the beggining hahaha hilarious.

Painful and Disappointing...

[spchristman · 1/10 · 14 May 2008]

I would not say I was excited to see this movie, but I can say I did plan to watch it at some point. Luckily, I did not spend money on this movie and even contemplated walking out towards the end of the movie.

The character of Ron Fox is perhaps one of the worst movie characters in recent memory. In no way was his character funny and he completely took away from the other characters that at least had some talent in the film.

I am hoping that any of you that are on the fence whether to watch this film or not will think twice and save your time and money. The first of the series blows this atrocity out of the water and I don't know how anyone can say any different. Other than a few one-liners I sat in disbelief of how anyone could enjoy the film. This movie should have never been made and I hope they think long and hard before another of these films is released.

A very welcome sequel.

[Thats_some_scary_stuff_Reviews · 7/10 · 29 November 2008]

Much funnier then expected. Funnier then White Castle? Yes, Ruder then White Castle? Yes, More unexpected then White Castle? Oh god yes. Harold and Kumar was one of the funniest movies i have seen this year. Coming up behind Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

One thing i really loved about this movie was the way they made fun of celebrities. I loved the George Bush scene and i loved the return of Neil Patrick Harris.

I recommend it if you liked the original. There's more laughs and more nudity. Overall Harold and Kumar 2 was funny and even had a little heart and was a unexpected sequel.

7/10

A spot-on sequel! Very funny!

[luke-346 · 7/10 · 24 July 2008]

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is the overdue sequel to one of the decade's leading cult comedies, 2004's Harold & Kumar Get the Munchies AKA Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. The film begins where the previous left off with the pair about to travel from America to Amsterdam in search of Harold's (John Cho) love interest. Once on the plane Kumar (Kal Penn) retreats to the toilet and assembles a homemade smokeless bong in the aircrafts toilet only for a passenger to witness him. His bong is mistaken for a bomb and chaos ensues. The two are arrested in flight and the plane is turned around for them to be questioned. They are then believed to be part of a North Korean/al-Qaeda plot and incarcerated to Guantanamo Bay.

One problem that always arises from a sequel is it's originality as it is re-working trends, characters and conventions established in its predecessor. However, a sequel does have the power to utilise certain strengths that can aid the narrative and a fine example of this is familiarity. With Escape from Guantanamo this familiarity allows for the makers to concentrate on other characters and evolve the characters of both Harold & Kumar further. This leads to Escape from Guantanamo being slightly more emotional than its predecessor, this notion is supported by the subplot of Kumar's ex-girlfriend. This subplot consists of a flashback depicting a very funny Emo-Harold and a delusional dream of Kumar and his ex getting it on with a giant bag of weed.

The narrative structure of Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is almost identical to that of its predecessor as it employs a quest-narrative, evident from its title, and like the first film it charts the two as they embark upon a series of misadventures. Along this journey they encounter many characters, one of which is Ron Fox (Rob Corddry). Ron is the chief antagonist of the picture; he is an ignorant, obtuse, irresponsible and brutish representative of the American Homeland Security. Arguably, he embodies a stereotypical and overzealous xenophobic American. Unfortunately his red-neck, ill-bred attitude is a bit of a one-trick-pony, it is played too much and becomes a bit weary towards the end of the picture. The voice of reason and logic in the film appears to be in the guise of Dr. Jack Beecher (Roger Bart), and by being a doctor the character is clearly educated thus alluding to the dim-wittedness of Ron further. Ron's ardent nature is at times too pervasive and leads to those around him being ineffective in the gag department.

Despite those character shortcomings the beauty of the film is that it is laugh out loud funny and chiefly because it draws upon an array of contemporary issues. The film's crack at the war on terror is a little too timid for my liking and the decision to show Bush as a pothead is too old school. In fact the manner in which the film decides in general to lampoon America's behaviors in various political arenas is dated or, to concur with the film's release, overdue. However, the funniest political joke is perhaps the NSA officer being unable to translate Harold's parents, because he assumes they can't speak English, an apt and direct assault on America's foreign policy.

Actually, if the political comedy of the film is ignored then Escape from Guantanamo is incredibly funny. Fine examples of this include the pimped up red-neck pad, the bottomless party, the cock-meat sandwich, the cyclops child, the caring prostitutes, the KKK encounter and of course the return of Neil Patrick Harris. The return of "Doogie Howser, M.D." is one of the highlights of the film but this time around his drug of choice is mushrooms – which he takes whilst driving. His brief re-emergence also sees him brand a prostitute, flirt with hallucinations and tell Ron that his role in Starship Troopers convinced him to join the Feds; priceless. There are some jokes that will be perceived as racist, but they are all cleverly balanced out. The fact that the fanatical white American bears the brunt of the humour in the film fits in well with contemporary society - and is of course, very funny. A good example of this is the ignorant assumption that an Asian man on an airplane is a terrorist, again very funny, but if you've seen the trailer you've already seen one of the best gags.

Overall, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay wonderfully reworks the original film but on a larger scale, it is a comedy that is definitely above average as the jokes are well paced and mostly well written. It's not quite in the same class as its predecessor, but I strongly believe that upon multiple viewings it will become even funnier.

Not as Funny or Original as The First One,But Still a Fun Comedy,

[lesleyharris30 · 7/10 · 4 September 2013]

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is a good movie with a decent but predictable storyline that was clearly only set up for the comedy aspect,but a great comedic cast.I certainly did not enjoy it as much as the first Harold and Kumar,it just wasn't as funny and the jokes and the story wern't as original,and a lot of it was very cheesy and cliché,something that was gladly absent from the first.John Cho and Kal Penn did a great job,they both play off each other really well,and Neil Patrick Harris is great playing himself as usual.What I disliked the most was the title because they aren't in Guantanamo Bay for most of the movie.Fans of the original should still check it out,but you will be disappointed.

Harold and Kumar land in Guantanamo Bay after getting caught with marijuana on a plane to Amsterdam.

Went to the midnight screening.

[jayford89 · 10/10 · 25 April 2008]

And it was absolutely amazing. I'd been anticipating it since i saw the first one, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Me and a bunch of friends bought slyders before we went. (and chicken rings, those are awesome, but I digress) It was a completely different type of movie than the first one, but that's okay because they're both awesome in different ways!!! I won't ruin anything for anybody, but I will tell you to go out and see the movie immediately,and drag your friends along with you. And then buy the DVD when it comes out so that we can have another adventure with our Marijuana Minorities of Movie Magic!! I for one am going again on Saturday... and Sunday.

I know a lot of conservative people that post on here were concerned about it being too political, but it really wasn't. The movie isn't like anti terrorist punishment or anything, it just shows how ignorant a lot of Americans are post 9/11. And if that's the way the real Bush is in real life, he just went up like 12 points in my book.

I never thought I'd say that, but this movie makes the impossible possible.

Very few people seemed to know they should hang back after the credits. I usually do anyway, so I got to see the little peak into the possible H&K3.

And a magic thing happened. Where usually after an awesome movie, me and my friends are the only ones who stand and applaud at the end, this time, we were joined by all of our fellow audience members... Granted they were all pretty baked I'm sure, but it was justified.