To really enjoy A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas might I suggest one of two things. Go in feeling the Christmas spirit or go in extremely high. While not necessarily requirements to enjoy the movie it will no doubt make the experience a better one. The franchise that started at White Castle has grown up and has lost a step or two. Harold and Kumar return to their drug induced states for their Christmas movie and you just might want to do the same.It’s not that the movie isn't funny, it's just not all that hilarious but I believe that may be because I didn't see this 3D movie, the way it was intended to be seen, high. I saw it in 3D and there are all kinds of things flying at you from smoke to show to confetti to cocaine. At one point they may actually throw a kitchen sink at the audience. While they acknowledge that the whole 3D thing has "jumped the shark" it doesn't stop them from doing it, which may actually be worse. But there are also bright lights and clay-mation at work which would leave any stoned mind enchanted. Plus all the bright lights may keep you distracted from the writing.
The creative team behind the movie look to offend every minority out there, but my objection isn't the ethnic bashing it’s the lack of laughs. Once again this may all depend on your state of mind, you may be laughing out loud throughout the whole movie, or only chuckling a few times. Most of these laughs are in the first half of the movie, and if you are anything like me you may look at the clock and be unable to believe the movie was 90 minutes when it felt like two hours.
The success of the movie though is entirely in the hands of aging stoners Harold and Kumar played by John Cho and Kal Penn respectively. The plot of the movie revolves around Harold growing up and becoming a member of Wall Street while Kumar has stayed stagnant and remains baked in his bachelor pad. They have drifted apart since escaping from Guantanamo Bay but a mysterious package has brought them together. This plot seems fitting as these two actors seem to have outgrown the roles that launched them to stardom. Both have moved onto more serious work and now seem a step behind if not a little pathetic being in their mid thirties and still acting like this. The actors still have their charm though and have much more convincing delivery than the first movie but they still just seem out of place and the roles just don't come as easily as they did seven years ago.
Brief encounters take place by all sorts of co-stars and may be the best parts of the movie. Patton Oswald plays Santa, Danny Trejo plays Harold's father in law, Eddie Kaye Thomas and David Krumholtz return as their stoner buddies and of course NPH rises from the dead to play Neil Patrick Harris which helped to re-start his career. All these roles add to the movie and they are in and out just in time for each actor to grab a couple laughs.
The movie is funny; the actors are good there just isn’t anything spectacular or innovative about the third movie in the series. There is plenty of spirit to the movie along with nods to holiday movies of the past, which is why those who love the season may love this movie as well. But bear in mind lovers of eggnog, there are also a bunch of penis shots as well. While I can’t prove that they were injecting marijuana smoke into the theater I do know I bought an entire pizza afterwards. C
