Reprising the roles that helped to launch their careers, John Cho and Kal Penn are back as Harold and Kumar in ‘A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas’! How did we get here? Simple! The magic of this duo kicked off in 2004 with the release off ‘Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle’ which would go on to become a cult sensation and a must-see for stoners everywhere. Fans were treated to another round of their hijinks in 2008 with the release of a much anticipated sequel, ‘Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo’ where ridiculousness was taken to new levels! ‘A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’ does the same and this time it is in glorious 3D!
The latest installment if the series takes place six years after the events of ‘Escape from Guantanamo Bay’ and finds Harold and Kumar at very different places in their lives. Harold has married his long time girlfriend, settled in suburbia and is working his 9 to 5 job. Kumar has settled down as well but it is in front of his bong after learning his girlfriend is pregnant. At the start, it appears that adulthood has finally caught up with the men who were once the life of the party. As luck would have it, the universe forces them back together again and it isn’t long before they are running wild on the streets of New York City in search of a Christmas tree worthy of Harold’s very stern father-in-law, played by the always intimidating Danny Trejo. As you would expect, they find themselves embroiled in one insane situation after another, bumping into some old friends and learning the power of friendship.
The film features several franchise and comedy cameos that fans will certainly recognize. Paula Garcés (TV’s Defying Gravity) as Harold’s beloved wife Maria; Danneel Harris (The Roommate) as Kumar’s estranged girlfriend Vanessa; Bobby Lee (Pineapple Express) as Kenneth Park; and Thomas Lennon (I Love You, Man) as Harold’s new best friend, Todd. Of course, it wouldn’t be a ‘Harold & Kumar’ flick without an outlandish appearance by the legendary NPH! That’s right fans, Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Doogie Howser, M.D.) is back and this time he has brought a musical number with him! You might be thinking “Wait! Didn’t Neil Patrick Harris die in the second film?” Don’t worry, it all gets sorted out and if you are really that concerned about it, you probably aren’t going to enjoy this film in the first place.
In addition to the comedy that fans of the stoner movie genre already know and love, ‘A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’ offers up a new element that make this film even more fun. The first is the use of retro, gimmicky, object in your face 3D! While it is no “Avatar”, this technology brings marihuana smoke, falling confetti, fast pitched excrement and exploding eggs from Occupy Wall Street types to a level that will surely make your giggle like you have been smoking The Devil’s Lettuce. Speaking of the stickiest of the icky, a fast paced musical number featuring Neil Patrick Harris is certainly a high point of the film, as is the scene where the world of Harold and Kumar becomes claymated! I am not sure what series writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg where smoking when they dreamed this all up but is it showed up magically on my doorstep, I wouldn’t turn it down!
‘A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas’ is a worthy addition to the franchise and is just as fun as the previous films. Fans who have not seen the film yet can rest assured that there is plenty of groundwork laid in this film to spawn another sequel. If you are looking for a light-hearted film with enough laughs to help you escape from your daily grind for an hour or so, this flick definitely fits the bill. Long live Harold and Kumar! — Jason Price
Official Synopsis: Following years of growing apart, Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar’s door on Christmas Eve, his attempt to redirect it to Harold’s house ends with the “high grade” contents – and Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree – going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree takes them through party heaven – and almost blows Christmas Eve sky high.
Blu-ray and DVD Elements
Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack:
Disc 1: Blu-ray 3D Disc
• Theatrical version (Presented in hi-definition, stereoscopic 3D)
Disc 2: Dual-Format Disc
Blu-ray Side
• Extra Dope Edition – Extended Cut Feature (Presented in 2D)
• Theatrical version
Special Features:
• Through the Haze with Thomas Lennon
• Bringing Harold & Kumar Claymation to Life
• Additional Scenes
DVD Side
• Theatrical Cut
UltraViolet Digital Copy
• Theatrical Cut
Blu-ray 2D Combo Pack:
Dual-Format Disc
Blu-ray Side
• Extra Dope Edition – Extended Cut Feature (Presented in 2D)
• Theatrical version
Special Features:
• Through the Haze with Thomas Lennon
• Bringing Harold & Kumar Claymation to Life
• Additional Scenes (RT 3:35)
DVD Side
• Theatrical version
UltraViolet Digital Copy
• Theatrical version
DVD:
• Theatrical version
• Additional Scenes
• UltraViolet Digital Copy (Theatrical version)
Ultraviolet
UltraViolet Digital Copy allows you to collect, watch and share movies in a whole new way. Available for free with specially marked Blu-ray discs and DVDs, UltraViolet lets you access digital copies of movies from a cloud to enjoy on many different devices. UltraViolet Digital Copiescan be downloaded for offline viewing and streamed to computers and compatible Android, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices. Some devices require Wi-Fi for streaming. Does not include iTunes file. Restrictions and limitations apply. Go to UltraViolet.Flixster.com for details.
‘A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’ was released November 4th, 2011 and stars Patton Oswalt, Isabella Gielniak, Kal Penn, Austin Bickel, Inga R. Wilson, John Cho, Bobby Lee,Thomas Lennon. The film is directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson.
