A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

It's a sad truth that by the time most comedy franchises have hit their third movie, a lot of the inspiration from the earlier films has run dry. Here's another sad truth - A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas does very little to buck this trend. Oh, there are still laughs to be had, though not as many as before. And Harold and Kumar themselves are as likable as ever. We're simply looking at a franchise that might be running out of steam.

After their adventures trying to track down a White Castle restaurant (in the 2004 original film), and their time as fugitives having escaped from Guantanamo Bay (in the 2008 sequel), it would seem that best friends Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) have parted ways. Harold is now married to his long-time girlfriend Maria (Paula Garces), has a job as a powerful businessman, is trying to start a family, and has just bought his first home. With Christmas fast approaching, Harold is dreading having to spend the holidays with Maria's extended family, particularly her eternally-snarling father (Danny Trejo), who seems to have a certain vendetta against Koreans based on a past trauma. As for Kumar, not much has changed, except for the fact that his girlfriend Vanessa (Danneel Harris) has dumped him. He spends his days in a cramped and dirty apartment, smoking pot.

The plot kicks off when a mysterious package is dropped off at Kumar's doorstep, which leads to fate reuniting the two friends. Their reunion has hardly begun when an accident occurs, causing Harold's prized Christmas tree (which Maria's father brought to their home, and spent eight years growing himself) to completely burn up. The friends must now put aside their differences, and go on a madcap race through New York City on Christmas Eve to find a suitable replacement tree. As is to be expected from a Harold & Kumar film, this simple task turns into a series of misadventures which involve Russian mobsters, a coked-up baby, Santa Claus, killer Claymation snowmen, robots, and a return of series regular, Neil Patrick Harris, who once again plays a caricature of himself as a deranged, drug-addicted sex fiend.

The Harold & Kumar franchise has always taken a rather slapdash approach to its comedy, throwing as many ideas and gags as they can up at the screen, and seeing which ones stick. Their Christmas adventure takes the same approach, but there are less jokes that work this time around. I don't think it's quite that the movies have lost their edge. Screenwriters Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossburg still enjoy playfully skewering just about every race, religion, and belief that they can think of. I think it's just the whole thing has become familiar by now. We expect it, so it's not as shocking as the filmmakers seem to think. You know you've become jaded when the movie you're watching contains a scene were people urinate on and throw feces at a car, and you don't react out of disgust. Just another day reviewing another gross out comedy. I will give the filmmakers this - They have achieved the first 3D penis in cinema history. Whether or not you view this as an accomplishment depends on your personal taste.

Speaking of the 3D, it's surprisingly underused. There's a clever scene early on that kind of pokes fun at 3D movies in general, but outside of that and a couple gimmick shots, there's really nothing here that takes advantage of the technology. I was able to watch I'd say about 85% of the movie without the glasses just fine. So, if you have the option, see the cheaper 2D version. But, back to the movie - John Cho and Kal Penn once again slip back comfortably into their famous roles, and show some great chemistry as they toss one-liners back and forth at each other. With the guys getting older (Cho is about to hit 40), I don't know how much longer they'll be able to play these stoner friends who always seem to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, but for now at least, they still pull it off, and give the movie most of its comic energy.

I think I would have liked this movie better and laughed even more if I felt like I hadn't seen it before. It's a little sloppier and not as sharp as before, but it's not a total wash. As I mentioned, there are some laughs to be had, and the movie seems to have fun playing with different cinema conventions, including everything from stop motion animated Christmas specials, to a lavish musical number. The movie's so darn eager to please and willing to try anything for a laugh, you can't really hate it, even when disappointment sets in. At least this movie seems to be trying, which is more than I can say for some. So, I guess I'm saying I can't really recommend A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, but I can't suggest you completely skip it. You might even end up liking it. If you were a fan of the past films, you'll find something to like here.

I suspect those fans will view this as comfort food - They know what to expect, and the movie delivers, just with less inspiration than before. Yes, I laughed a few times at the movie, but those laughs were surrounded by long periods of silence. I will say this, though. On my way out of the theater, I noticed a grandmother being talked into seeing the movie by her two young grandkids, who both looked to be less than 10. She obviously thought it was a family film, given the Christmas theme. Don't make the same mistake she was about to.

See the movie times in your area or buy the DVD at Amazon.com!

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