A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011) User Reviews

It's goes back to it's roots of being simple but fun

[KineticSeoul · 7/10 · 6 January 2012]

What started as a simple stoner trip comedy, becomes something that pushes the limit with every installment. And that is the case with this 3rd one, most of the humor comes from that is so messed up that it's funny...Well for some viewers at least although it can offend the others. While some movies the 3D is not worth it, this is one of those movie that has to be seen in 3D if your going to watch it. And for the most part the 3D is worth it and it actually plays a crucial part in the movie since the plot brings out and gives 3D scenarios. If you don't see it in 3D it can be a bit confusing cause you might not get some of the jokes. Anyways if you liked stoner comedies and comedies that pushes the limits this movie might be worth checking out. The movie had one special ingredient that made this movie better than the second one and that is the simple but fun aspect. Although Harold and Kumar is not in college anymore and is now full adults, I wouldn't mind another sequel.

7.3/10

Harold and Kumar make decorating a Christmas tree a wild and dangerous adventure

[napierslogs · 7/10 · 13 November 2011]

I think part of the reason the first movie worked so well is because going to White Castle is, relatively, a very simple, ordinary trip. But when it's Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) it becomes a very wild adventure. I didn't enjoy the second one as much because escaping from Guantanamo Bay wouldn't be an easy task for anybody. For this third movie, Harold and Kumar are back to turn a routine errand into a hair-raising, hazardous experience. Harold has to decorate a Christmas tree.

But when Kumar comes over and accidentally burns down the tree, they then have to find a new one, steal it from a drug-lord gangster thug, try to not rape his daughter, crash a musical production of The Nutcracker, and limit the number of people they shoot and drug (to only Santa Claus and a baby).

The 3D is of course a gimmick. They know that; we know that. It involves joints coming out of the screen and eggs, blood, and guts. It is as juvenile and pointless as you can get. But that is the point.

The jokes are of course offensive. But, again, that's the point. It makes it okay when the out-and-proud Neil Patrick Harris makes gay jokes, or when Cho and Penn make racial jokes.

I enjoyed the journey that they take in "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas". Every time the baby found a new drug to imbibe, or Kumar smoked another joint, I laughed. It's the type of humour that has made the franchise so successful.

Sadly, significantly weaker than the other Harold and Kumar movies...

[The_Movie_Cat · 6/10 · 1 January 2012]

... fortunately, however, "significantly weaker" still equals very funny. But there are just a handful of laughs spread throughout this picture rather than a constant supply.

Of course, all humour is subjective, but having the two title characters apart for so long in the movie does harm the laughs, even though it does drive the narrative. There's also an awkward "feel good" "moral of the story" motif to the picture. Still, this being Harold and Kumar, then part of the "warm" moments does involve the term "cock meat sandwich".

Lots of the genuine humorous moments occur with the parodies of 3D. However, how well this will play if the movie is broadcast in 2D remains to be seen. Like the seasonal motif, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas limits itself with the 3D gimmick, unless it has designs on becoming a holiday staple.

The equal opportunity offending continues in decent form, though seeing a baby getting high is in questionable taste even for this series. As in previous films, a highlight is Neil Patrick Harris, though his assertion that "we'll see you in the fourth one" does nod towards a slightly cynical edge in this film's construction.

Overall, still a pretty funny movie in its own right, but worrying signs that the joke is beginning to wear thin.

Very stonerific if there was such a word:)

[mdnobles19 · 6 November 2011]

Morally wrong on soo many levels and unnecessarily filmed in 3D but that somehow managed to work pretty well for the most part but this film is so much fun and hysterically funny that you will have a blast. It's great to see all of these lively and wacky characters come back to the big screen that it should be a every year tradition because their company never gets old and it will have to be one of the best stoner comedies ever as well as Christmas comedy ever next to Christmas Vacation. The thing I like about these movies are that the jokes are relevant, ballsy and unapologetic kind of like Family Guy and they are to me always consistent with making me laugh because of the outrageousness that I just can't get enough of this series, they are on a roll! Overall this is a treat for only fans of the series because if you were offended by them before this one won't change your mind, you will love it or you will hate it, I for one loved it!!!! Bring on more Harold & Kumar!!! Recommended!

Still the Best of the Stoner Comedies

[Jack_Skelly · 7/10 · 5 November 2011]

Once again, Harold and Kumar bring it with more completely original ideas that made me laugh like a maniac several times throughout the movie. These guys once again prove that anything can be funnier if you add weed and nudity. And the fact that Kal Penn can still make these movies and maintain a respectable reputation at the White House is hilarious enough as it is.

As good as this one was, however, it didn't really live up to the expectations that were set by "Guantanamo Bay". Maybe it's because when I saw that one, it was in a packed theatre at 10 pm with a bunch of stoners laughing their guts out at every single joke. As unappealing as that sounds (I wasn't stoned during this movie), it's those types of things that make movies THAT much better if you ask me. Laughing my butt off with 30 or more people, including a few random 14 year olds who needed to pretend they were with me in order to get in (true story) just wasn't the same.

Something that really bugged me was how NPH was barely used in this one. Although his picture actually made it poster this time, he wasn't really in it as much as I hoped. Come to think of it, many of the old jokes from "White Castle" and "Guantanamo Bay" weren't used at all.

And whether or not it was the theatre I went to, the 3D was disgraceful. I almost suggest seeing the 2D version: your eyes won't hurt, you'll save a few bucks, and you really won't miss anything.

But even though it may not have lived up to the previous ones, Harold and Kumar prove once again that as far as epic stoner comedies go, they can't be beat. This one left me sore from laughing, and with an itch to see more (even though, once again, I wasn't stoned). I strongly suggest you get a big group to go to this one; the more laughs around you, the funnier this movie will be.

And of course, there's nothing like getting into the Christmas spirit a little early. Especially if you celebrate Christmas like these guys.

A fitting conclusion to a classic funny trilogy.

[justin-fencsak · 6/10 · 4 December 2018]

As a standalone christmas movie, it's pretty funny. This conclusion to the classic Harold and Kumar trilogy that began when they went to White Castle before escaping from Guantanamo Bay before finally spending Christmas in New York with friends and family. The first one was a classic while the second one was meh. The third one makes fun use of the 3d pop-up effects to comic use and it's worth watching if you own it on 3d bluray. It's not for kids as it's rated a hard R. Can't wait to see what the duo comes up with in an upcoming animated series!!!

Continuing the time-honored tradition of 'Harold & Kumar'

[Movie_Muse_Reviews · 7/10 · 21 April 2012]

The two most lovable stoners in movie history return in "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas," which somehow continues the series' impressive balancing act of clever humor, crude jokes, stoner gags and heart.

When you look at the franchise's three biggest stars — John Cho, Kal Penn and Neil Patrick Harris — it becomes clearer why the movies work. All three of them have gone on to be successful in all manner of films and television shows, a testament to their acting ability. If they had been written and portrayed as shallow, obnoxious stoners, this Christmas special would've been direct-to-DVD and recast with no-name actors.

This third adventure takes place six years after "Escape from Guantanamo Bay," and our dear friends have stopped talking to each other because Harold has grown up and Kumar has not. Their paths collide once more, however, when a package for Harold arrives at Kumar's apartment. He courteously brings it to Harold's new house, where they reconnect and discover it's a giant joint, and they accidentally burn down Harold's father-in-law's (Danny Trejo) beloved Christmas tree.

The search to replace the Christmas tree before midnight mass is on, and it takes the duo and their replacement best friends Todd (Thomas Lennon) and Adrian (Amir Blumenfeld) on less of a wild journey in terms of geography and general weirdness, but one with plenty of wacked-out sequences from claymation drug trips to NPH's recollection of his time in heaven to an R-rated riff on a classic "A Christmas Story" gag.

With all the 3D pandering and psychedelic trips (every drug imaginable gets play time), "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" was meant to be experienced on the big screen (or a 3D LED set), but its meta jabs at the medium help ease the multitude of slow-motion shots that hurt the pacing of the movie when viewed in 2D.

As a fan of the series who is not a fan of the marijuana (in the using sense), several scenes remind the sober viewers we're not high enough to watch this movie, but enough of the jokes are clever as opposed to simply balls-out. I've always found that the hallmark of the franchise is never that each installment is a laugh fest, but that it stays grounded while occasionally funnier than you'd guess it would be. This is of course thanks to Penn and Cho, whose chemistry continues to be the bread and butter of the series. That, and the reliably delightful appearance of Harris.

In spite of the many examples the film puts forward that give us an opportunity to shrug it off as immature and stupid, it finds ways of being charming. How you can find yourself rooting for a waffle-making robot not included in the film for any logical reason is testament to what Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have created.

~Steven C

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A Very Poor Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.

[ta-ryll · 3/10 · 4 December 2011]

Firstly, I loved the first movie. It was a very nice idea with some good laughs. Then there was the second movie, which I think lacked for laughs a lot compared to the first. And then this! All I can say is, apart from a baby getting high with the munchies, and a penis stuck to a frozen pipe, this was the worst of the three movies. I hate to say it, but if you liked the first two and think this will be the same, don't get your hopes up. It's terrible. And WTF is up with the 3D? This ruined it for me hugely, because there are good 3D movies, and then there are really cheesy diliberate 3D 'pokes' at the screen to make you go, 'Awesome!'. Once I had saw the trailer I thought that it was a family movie, that's how low this third sequel has dropped since the first two. It's an 18A? It should be a 12A! Yeah there's drugs and some nudity in it but, really? This isn't something for fans of the first two movies. I still don't know how this movie has got a 7.2 Rating. It should be a 3.4 rating. Overall, if you have seen the first two movies, I don't recommend this one. Unless you want to because you might as well see this as you have seen the first two. If you have'nt, then you won't be as disappointed as I am. I hope that they pick it up again and bring a much better fourth part to these movies. And if it turns out like this one, I will give up with Harold & Kumar.

Why laugh? Why not?

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 8/10 · 14 November 2011]

I don't know why, but I seriously can't help but laugh at the Harold and Kumar movies. They're so over the top and silly that you can't help but laugh. The first adventure we went on with them, they just had the munchies and needed some White Castle. The second adventure was to get the loves of their lives back and end up going to Guantanamo Bay. Now, we get to celebrate the joyful holiday of Christmas with them. I admit that when I saw the trailer for this one, it didn't make me laugh too much. I wasn't sure if this was going to have the same kick as the previous films had, but A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas not only delivered in the laughs but was actually a very good movie that in it's own crude way was a touching story about how friends can grow apart but reunite by the weirdest situations.

Harold is now a successful businessman who works at a popular company while Kumar is still living the life of a stoner handling a bad break up with Vanessa. At Maria's Christmas party, Harold meets Maria's father. He explains to Harold that he never had a perfect Christmas and he is counting on Harold to make this one the best for his daughter, Harold's wife Maria. Maria's father also brings to Harold's house the perfect Christmas tree. When a package addressed to Harold arrives at Kumar's apartment, he decides to deliver it to Harold. The package turns out to be a large marijuana joint that Kumar cannot resist smoking. Since Harold has gotten married and does not get high anymore, he knocks the lit joint out of Kumar's hands and it lands in the tree and causing a fire. So now Harold and Kumar are on a new adventure to get the tree back before the family returns.

I know that the situations were out of control. We have some dark jokes with a child taking every extreme drug known to man, we have Neil Patrick Harris on the verge of raping a woman. I know I should have been disturbed technically, but why not just have a good time and remind yourself that this is just a movie? I thought Neil Patrick Harris was just too funny as usual when the boys ask him where he's been and that he got shot and branded a hooker, he replies with "can you be more specific?", I almost died laughing. I loved the creepy waffle making robot that Kumar had, how it actually loved Kumar and saved his life. But the moment that really got to me was seeing the kid who was on every crazy drug running around on the ceiling, it was so out there that I just had to laugh.

Like I said, there are some very extreme jokes that a lot of people will take offense too easily. There is a moment where Neil Patrick Harris is talking about Heaven and I know that if you have strong religious beliefs, you're not going to like that scene. Though I don' know why then you are seeing a Harold and Kumar movie since they're not listed in the tactful department. But what I really liked about this story is that it showed their softer side, Harold is growing up and Kumar wants to stay the same as a stoner who is just cruising through life, we all have friends like that and it's hard to keep in touch when you're on different paths. I loved seeing them remember what's important, that it's OK to let go a little bit or that it's OK to grow up. I would recommend this for the fans, it's a great follow up to our favorite stoners. If you're looking for a good laugh, I think you're in for a treat, Harold and Kumar do not disappoint.

8/10

A new holiday classic.

[dustinkdye · 6/10 · 19 May 2013]

Holiday films are much like Christmas sweaters and holiday albums by has-been recording artists sold next to the cash register at the Hallmark store: best avoided. I made an exception for "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas."

The newest film in the series picks up several years since the boys escaped from Guantanamo Bay. Harold (John Cho) is all grown up as a big- shot Wall Street trader with a fellow Korean-American as his loyal assistant (Bobby Lee, reviving his bit part from the first Harold and Kumar film). He's finally married to Maria Perez, and they live in a beautiful suburban home. Kumar, however, is still the immature boy he has always been. The epiphany he had at the climax of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" has worn off, and we learn he has failed med school. Or rather, he failed a drug test. The two haven't seen each other in two years, and have replaced each other with newer, lamer friends.

The story starts with Kumar (Kal Penn, Assistant Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement) finding a mysterious package addressed to Harold on his doorstep. He drops it off at Harold's house. The estranged friends open the package and find a gigantic joint inside. Kumar naturally lights it up and accidentally sets the Christmas tree on fire. This is a problem, you see, because Maria's father is Danny Trejo (Machete), a frightening Mexicano with a scarred face and a Christmas tree sweatshirt. He is fanatical about Christmas trees and already has a very good reason to hate Koreans.

The two set out on a journey to replace the tree before the Perez family returns from midnight mass. They have run-ins with a pair of black Christmas tree salesmen, Ukrainian mobsters, Santa Claus and Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers).

"A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Chrstimas" is a worthy continuation of the series. The production value has increased greatly since the first film, and it makes good use of the 3D, using the same cheesy gimmicks as early 3D films from the '50s. True to the holiday-film genre, there is even a (cocaine induced) claymation sequence.

While better than "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," the third film in the series doesn't have the fresh feel of the first. For example, in the first film, when we saw Doogie Howser snort a line of coke off a stripper's buttocks, it was shocking and funny. It has simply become expected the third time around. The movie is still funny, but the jokes are no longer new, and the laughs don't come as quick as the first film.

"A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" may not be the holiday classic that "A Christmas Story" is (although there is a shocking scene that pays homage to the 1983 comedy), it is worth seeing for anyone who enjoyed the first two films.

I was Disappointed!!

[talha-saad · 2/10 · 4 February 2012]

Well how to put this....i was so anxiously waiting for this movie to come out as it set the tone in the last two amazing ventures. I was expecting the same old Harold & Kumar type of jokes and was ready to laugh my ass off on this one too but i was Disappointed!! The movie was dragged and got boring to an extent that i was talking to myself that am i really watching Harold & Kumar?? This movie was released in 3D which the director really really strongly emphasized on many occasions which looked pretty rookie to me...

Lastly, the type of jokes were not Harold & Kumar standard at all..especially on few occasions i thought they took it overboard...The heaven joke which i think was way too bizarre and was not required at all....

Final word: i wish they had lived up to the legacy of Harold & Kumar!!

Plenty of silly, social comment and "oh no they didn't" laughs.

[fbcnova · 8/10 · 6 November 2011]

If you liked the first two Harold & Kumar movies then you will likely like this one. If you have never seen a Harold & Kumar movie they are implausible story line, very irreverent, even crass, comedies that always break taboos.

This movie's story line is again unlikely and at times totally ridiculous, it's a total cut up comedy. You get the sense that the actors were having fun while they were filming. I laughed (and moaned) throughout the entire movie which I think is kind of the benchmark for this genre.

A lot of the humor uses or pokes fun at the 3D effects so see it in 3D if you can, it's a real treat, the effects are great. There was enough pot smoke and coke blown in you face that you could almost get high.

3D ruined it from being better

[Rikamortisk9 · 6/10 · 20 February 2012]

If you've seen the first two Harold & Kumar movies, you know that the humour comes from just how outrageously over the top they are. The same rules apply to this one, but it just doesn't work as well as the first two. Don't get me wrong, there are still some very moments in it but ultimately it falls into the shadow of the original two. I think the thing that ruined this slightly was the extremely stupid use of 3D. I like 3D, but when it's done right. Just making things fly straight at the camera ruins the moment for me and I think that was why I didn't enjoy this one as much. When they weren't doing the obvious 3D, I had a very enjoyable experience, but 3D did not work for me. Saying that, what did work for me, and work well, was the Harold & Kumar humour that I expected. Seeing a toddler high off a good mix of marijuana, coke and ecstasy wasn't something for everyone, but it works in this film. NPH as a twisted parody of himself was excellent, definitely the best scenes in the movie are when he's involved. Nice to see the cast from the old films back again. Overall, if you're a fan you'll still enjoy it, if you didn't like the first two you won't like this one.

Craziness At Christmas...in 3D?

[TheJohnnyPHreak · 5/10 · 25 December 2018]

The first two Harold & Kumar films are ridiculous to stay the least. The first film the better of the two. For an out there stoner fantasy comedy, it has some pretty hilarious moments and gross jokes that hit the mark. Plus John Cho and Kal Penn have great chemistry. You can totally believe they are friends even though they are from different classes. It didn't hurt that Neil Patrick Harris has one of the best cameos of all time. (Even in the sequel his cameo up the film in a positive way)

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is all that someone would expect from the third film in the series and being a Christmas special. The yule tidings, jingling, sleigh bells, Santa and of course NPH (as I will now call him for the rest of the review). Did I forget to mention that there is crazy action, a lot of gross jokes, boobies, male nudity and a whole ton of drug use? This is a Harold and Kumar sequel as you know. The plot if you can call it one is pretty simple, Harold and Kumar reunite under somewhat odd and unwanted circumstances to find a Christmas tree before two am Christmas morning.

The film starts off a bit slower than a normal Harold & Kumar film. But the filmmakers do very much utilize the 3D early and often. A scene with a protest, eggs, and comedian Bobby Lee will let you know, yes this is a 3D movie. I can tell you the film gets wilder from there. Some of the jokes do land decently. There is a running gag with a toddler doing drugs that culminate in hilarious results. Harold & Kumar get into their normal hijinks with sometimes lethal results. I would say it's a bit wilder than the first and on par with the sequel.

I did get a kick out of the claymation sequences in the middle of the film. It's a nice ode to the classic Christmas special with the song in the sequence side-splitting funny. But many of the jokes are cringe-inducing not resulting in many laughs. You can see exactly where the plot is going at all times. Penn & Cho start off like they are going through the motion of a sequel but when the zaniness cracks up they do give it their all. Amir Blumenfeld and Thomas Lennon play two new friends of the main duo who get really caught up in all the craziness.

NPH is back again and he's good as only NPH can be. But it felt like he was phoning it during part of his cameo. (And yes they do explain how he comes back if you've seen the 2nd film) But it did like the connection to his real life. I won't spoil but NPH fan will really enjoy that. (I could have done without the gay jokes but I had to remember what film I was watching). For a comedy, this shot more like a film than a normal comedy. It felt like it had that feel like Game Night where it was a comedy but the look felt like a film in a different genre.

David Krumholtz and Eddie Kaye Thomas show up for one scene to connect all the films outside of the main characters. Danny Trejo does have a small role as Harold's father in law. It's, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. He could have been better used in a crazy comedy fantasy such as this. I would have loved to have seen him let loose his comedy chops and badass appeal. Yes for those folks asking Santa does have a role in the film. It acts a more of a plot device than anything else.

The film does have a few moments and a few gags that shine through a lot of the muck. It wouldn't place it high on my holiday watch list but it was entertaining viewing. I would like to see the duo with NPH get a more fitting send-off. Nowhere near as laugh out loud funny as the first but much in line with Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, this Christmas edition of the Harold & Kumar series is one of those very late nights watches when you can't sleep and having issues "getting" things out of your system.

A Very Funny Harold & Kumar 3D Movie

[AsianTalentHollywood · 4 November 2011]

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is not going to surprise anyone. It follows the same successful formula and chemistry between John Cho and Kal Penn as the first two. The film also is rude, inappropriate and has questionable taste just like the first two. So while the basic concept is the same, it has been plugged into a Christmas setting making fun of the holiday and managing to shoot Santa Claus in the face in the process. Damn it's funny! I'm not big on buddy comedies but behind closed doors I secretly love Harold & Kumar. White Castle was funny, Guantanamo Bay was even funnier taking on the issue of race and national security, and 3D Christmas is poking fun at religion and holidays. Because many may be afraid of being ridiculed for touching sacred subjects and therefore don't, Harold & Kumar movies repeatedly take on the challenge and find something original to laugh about. Sure making a baby high, John having his penis stuck to a metal frozen pole, and poking fun at the Catholic sex scandals may be inappropriate to some, but everything's fair in comedy and what the filmmakers have done will make you laugh over and over. So while much of the film may be ridiculously over the top, it all works. And while we don't see enough of Bobby Lee in the film who seems to be able to make you laugh without doing much, we do get Neil Patrick Harris playing himself as a closeted heterosexual. That scene is not just really funny throughout, but it steals the show. His scene is nothing short of a "must see" moment that is destined to be classic.

Not as bad as I expected

[SafReviews · 6/10 · 11 September 2020]

I thought this movie was better than Guantanamo Bay, but not quite as good as White Castle. I thought the plot was decent and it had me intrigued throughout, I just wish it didn't have those ridiculous unrealistic moments like the one with the Christmas tree and the other with the ping pong ball. There were some funny moments in the movie which I enjoyed. Just like in the other two movies, the thing I didn't like about this movie is the explicit nudity and sexual content. Overall the movie is decent, but for me personally I like movies with a realistic plot even if it is a comedy movie.

"The tree is a cancer, Harold. We have to get rid of it before it kills Christmas."

[gettodamoofies · 7/10 · 24 December 2023]

FILM: 7/10.

Embarking on a rewatch of the 2011 film A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, I'm unapologetically admitting that it's a guilty pleasure - well, not so guilty because, truth be told, I feel no guilt. A Christmas-themed Harold & Kumar movie might sound like a gimmick, but let me assure you, it's a match made in stoner comedy heaven.

The substantial gap between films surprisingly works in its favour, offering more than just hilarious escapades. A cascade of good character moments unfolds, weaving unexpected layers into the narrative. It's a refreshing departure, injecting some genuine character development into what could easily be dismissed as a mere pot-infused comedy.

Of course, it wouldn't be Harold & Kumar without the outrageous and the controversial, and they don't disappoint. The gags maintain the same value as their predecessors, delivering a wild ride that doesn't skimp on the laughs. Amidst the chaos, there's even a legitimate Christmas message - who would've thought?

Let's be real; this isn't a family-friendly Christmas flick. It's a ride for those who appreciate their humour on the edgier side. The supporting cast, including the ever-charismatic NPH, adds to the insanity.

However, if I had to nitpick, the animated section didn't quite hit the mark for me. But hey, in the grand scheme of things, it's a minor blip.

In the end, my only complaint is simple: make a fourth one already! A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas is a gift that keeps on giving, a festive and irreverent joyride that boldly wears its stoner comedy heart on its sleeve.

FORMAT: Blu-ray

VIDEO: 9/10.

1080p 3D presentation, Detail level: Excellent, Colour reproduction: Excellent, Level accuracy: Excellent, Encode: Good, Master condition: Excellent

AUDIO: 9/10.

DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio, Dialogue reproduction: Excellent, Soundtrack & effects clarity: Excellent, Dynamics: Excellent, Surround sound presentation: Good, LFE content: Good

MOOFIEMETER: 7/10.

Harold & Kumar is back but with a little less fun this time....

[unitedcba · 6/10 · 20 January 2012]

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011) ~umR ☛ 6/10 Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson Stars: Kal Penn, John Cho and Neil Patrick Harris 90 min - Comedy

Harold & Kumar is back but with a little less fun this time....I wouldn't say this movie disappointed me coz it did had some really laugh out loud scenes but wish there was little more to enjoy. I guess this movie has got this much hike because of its 3D effects.. But for those who watch it without 3D its just another Harold and Kumar's raunchy comedies. (But, again with less comedy) This movie's story line is again unlikely and at times totally ridiculous, it's a total cut up comedy. You get the sense that the actors were having fun while they were filming. I laughed (and moaned) throughout the entire movie which I think is kind of the benchmark for this genre. Even said that I wish this movie lived up to the previous parts...All in all the movie was pretty kool, and I did have a good time...watch out for that egg throwing scene...;)

STORYLINE

Six years have elapsed since Guantanemo Bay, leaving Harold and Kumar estranged from one another with very different families, friends and lives. But when Kumar arrives on Harold's doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand, he inadvertently burns down Harold's father-in-law's beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find the perfect Christmas tree, once again stumbling into trouble at every single turn.

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A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

[Scarecrow-88 · 4/10 · 14 December 2018]

For stoner comedy fans, the duo of Kal Penn and John Cho returning once again for a third Harold and Kumar movie (this set on Christmas Eve) might be ideal, but I guess I'm not particularly the audience for it. I did watch the first film (and some of the second), admittedly, but after realizing I wasn't really the kind of viewer that would appreciate its brand of shock-value humor and weed-smoking shenanigans pursuing a sequel wasn't as much a must but rather for its seasonal reasons. It does have a Santa (Richard Riehle) smoking from a bong, all high, while up in his sleigh, having survived a gunshot wound to the head when Cho accidentally fires towards the sky unknowingly in his direction! No worries: Penn repairs his wound after removing the bullet and sewing him up! Penn failed a drug test which resulted in his failure to finish medical school and he learns from Danneel Ackles (girlfriend to Kumar, Vanessa) that she's pregnant with his child. While Kumar and Vanessa are estranged and he's too high too often to have a decent conversation (she says he's not an adult with any maturity to handle such a responsibility as raising a child). Meanwhile a package arrives at Kumar's mess of an apartment (he fails to keep it clean, deciding instead to spend time with his bong, emitting its mind-altering sustenance to Kumar, after scoring some weed from Patton Oswalt's department store Santa in a parking garage!), with Harold's name on it...this leads to Kumar bringing it to Harold's Christmas overtly gratuitously decorated house, opening it to find a long blunt, resulting in wind blowing it, after its lit, into a Christmas tree brought over by father-in-law Danny Trejo. Paula Garcés is Harold's Latino wife, looking to get pregnant (on purpose unlike Kumar and Vanessa's situation), Maria. Trejo's obsessive Christmas fervor makes Harold work hard to earn his favor which isn't easy to come by. The tree going up in flames with Harold and Kumar inadvertently brought together to find another one (their friends are tagalongs in the overall film; Amir Blumenfeld is Kumar's horny buddy looking to get laid at a party held by the daughter of a kingpin (Elias Koteas) while Thomas Lennon is Harold's square dad friend from Wall Street, with daughter in tow, who seems more like an assistant than pal). There is plenty of shady humor such as a little girl accompanying Lennon who gets high from Kumar's bong exposure and cocaine exploded in her direction, Neil Patrick Harris' apparent faux homosexuality publicity stunt while secretly a skirt-chasing sleaze, claymation drug-induced fantasy that has plenty of gory violence and jaw-dropping stop-motion content, and the expected minority jokes that will certainly offend some who watch it. Like Trejo's extended family arriving to stay at Harold's home, with a comment wondering how all of them would fit under one roof or Trejo's past flashback to his mother's death at the hands of Korean hoods or two African-Americans at a tree-selling establishment using "good salesman/bad salesman" tactics (RZA works at type of gangster persona to rattle Penn and Blumenfeld with complaints that his being a black man gives them pause) to scare customers into buying what they have on their lot. There's Patrick Harris' "trip to Heaven" where he meets Jesus who has a doll (angels who look like they arrived out of a Victoria Secret model shoot) on both arms while Saint Peter is a bouncer at his club called "Heaven", foretold to Kumar and Harold after nearly molesting a personal fan who believes he's gay. The 3-D process is poked fun at as everything from eggs (tossed at Harold's assistant at his Wall Street high rise when protestors responded from their rage), to blunts fly right at the screen...I thought these attempts to satirize the process so overused in the theaters at the time (and still somewhat today) work okay, hit and miss. I thought the film itself was so low-brow and trashy (as it never intended to be anything else but this) that such methods for playful mockery are to be expected. This will undoubtedly still win some hearts as it still aims to please those who eat this stuff up, but when you have a kid high on coke climbing the walls and requesting a fight with a mobster, the bar is most certainly low. The holiday aesthetic is here, and you get plenty of music from the past, with the pursuit of a tree involving Christmas into the plot, although this does at least establish that Harold and Kumar are no longer juvenile and so recklessly irresponsible, even as they might still smoke a joint together every now and then. After watching Penn on "House", and Cho working in more serious adult work, I just felt they are above this kind of nonsense now. NPH still appears to be enjoying himself. I do believe this kind of film will not be greenlit by Hollywood with any great regularity as it once was...feathers are ruffled quite a bit now, and when innocent pop culture icons like "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" are picked apart and questioned, what will that say about a Harold and Kumar comedy where Trejo hands over a camera to Penn as he plans to get a family picture, because "Penn's people are known for taking photos". Oh and Koteas' virginal daughter won't sleep with Kumar because "he's dark". While there are those in an audience who take all of this in stride and not too seriously, we are in a society that is gradually unwilling to tolerate certain types of content anymore.

So naughty it's actually nice!

[Meven_Stoffat · 8/10 · 4 November 2011]

It seems like just earlier this week was Halloween... oh, wait a tic, it WAS Halloween. 

The beginning of November is an unusually early time fir a Christmas movie to come out, but then again, it's not like there hasn't ever been a Christmas movie that's been released at the beginning of November. This year, it's Harold and Kumar who have taken the honour of releasing a Christmas movie near the beginning of the year, and for such a premature Christmas film, surprisingly it turned out to be great!

A Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is more fun than it has he right to be. For one, you can tell by the trailer it promises fun to be had, and it lives up to the promise. The film in tone, is like a mix of the first two movies. It has the ridiculousness of the second movie mixed with the style of the first. In addition, throw in NPH, Amir from CollegeHumor and characters we've seen before, and you have yourself what may be the most fun film of the series.

The film takes place 6 years after the first. A you may expect, hard working Harold is successful, has the beautiful Maria as his wife, and life couldn't be any better for him. Meanwhile Kumar is a big fat and lazy frack-up. He sits at home and smokes pot all day, and has blown his chance at true love. 

Harold has invited his father in law (played by Danny Trejo!), who inadvertly brings his whole family to the household. The prejudiced in law replaces the faux tree with a naturally grown Christmas tree. When Kumar receives a package for Harold, he takes it over, where they reunite and discover, it's a mega joint. Kumar tries to burn it up, but they inadvertly burn the tree... Resulting in the two going on another zany adventure, this time to replace the tree!!!

First off, you know what to expect, from a Harold and Kumar movie, however that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Because the film is consistently funny throughout and manages to keep you laughing until the final frame. The jokes are raunchier than ever! There's babies taking drugs, Russian mafia jokes, dark humour, you name it. There isn't a thing this film doesn't have.

The star power helps too- while they may be getting a bit old (Cho is 40, and damn he looks so young, how do I look that handsome at 40), Cho and Penn deliver the usual great performances, but I must note, holy crap, Cho really does prove himself as the talented actor he is here. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Penn too, but Cho was easily the attraction for me. Trejo,well, what's not to love about him? Excellent actor and it shows, Patton Oswalt is hilarious as expected and Amir from CollegeHumor is a great actor here as well. And Neil Patrick Harris... Well, who can deny his brilliance?

The 3D, on the other hand, is what prevents me from giving it a full mark. As you may have seen in the previews, it does abuse the gimmick greatly, but otherwise you really shouldn't waste your money. The screen gets very blurry during the more motion-y shots, and other than the flying out, it doesn't really come as good use.

Otherwise, the new Harold and Kumar film is very enjoyable. And surprisingly very heartfelt too, as it has a great message about friendship. It will indeed snap you into the Christmas spirit and make you feel happy indeed. And while it may not be the best of the series, nonetheless it is indeed very enjoyable

OVERALL: 8/10

THE GOOD: This latest entry in the series proves to be insanely fun entry with everything you could expect in a H&K movie, and more.

THE BAD: The 3D. Not like that's anything new,

Everything that made the first two films unexpectedly good - now pointing at you.

[oneguyrambling · 6/10 · 20 April 2012]

Harold and Kumar are two young Americans who swear, fornicate and like pot. (Geez I could have made that even briefer by just saying 'Harold and Kumar are two young Americans'.) Now we find revisit them six years after their last escapades. Harold is now a successful and Maria are married and trying for a child – nice one Harold. Kumar has broken up with and is still slobby, lazy and decidedly non-driven. The once inseparable pair have gradually grown apart.

Perhaps in an attempt to fill the respective voids that they each feel after the loss of the other, both have new 'best buds'. Harold the over keen and totally dorky Todd (Tom Lennon), Kumar some new stoner dude.

The plot isn't the point of this threequel. But if you MUST know Harold and Kumar reluctantly team up with new buds in tow to find a replacement Christmas tree so that Harold can please his Father in Law (Danny Trejo) who is spending his first Christmas with them.

Along the way expect drug use, beer pong, Ukrainian gangsters and tripping babies.

The point of the film is that it is in 3D, so at various times we can witness the following items fly past, over or toward us: smoke (natch), eggs, joints, baby Jesus and… wait for it, semen.( Yep, bring your folks to this one.) Patton Oswalt plays a mall Santa in an unfortunately all too short cameo, Neil Patrick Harris is once again back to play an alternate NPH, and as always chaos reigns.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is everything you expect – i.e. nothing you could rightfully expect – and nothing you don't – i.e. good taste, low key, well crafted jokes – but it's all too stupidly funny to bother hatin' on it.

Suffice to say if you liked Harold and Kumar in 2D, you'll like them just as much in 3D.

Final Rating – 6 / 10. I saw this last night and now only one sleep later can hardly remember it, in saying that I would be just as happy to watch it again tomorrow. (But I'm not shilling another twenty on it fellas.)

Not as Good as the First Two Predecessor Movies

[ghasl1 · 4/10 · 21 November 2011]

If you seen the first two movies and expect it to be the same comedy and shenanigans Harold and Kumar get themselves into from getting high or from racial profiling then don't see this movie. If your new then you probably like it for being a standalone Christmas, family movie. First of all the story sucks Harold's Christmas tree catches on fire and they have to find a new one, very basic. Different from going to different escapades from a variety of incidents involving getting high or being chased by a protagonist/racists. It felt like a b-grade Christmas movie in a rental store that nobody would want to borrow out, too much attention was involved to the 3D that they just couldn't bother writing scenarios for the movie. It felt boring through the scenes seeing objects fly towards you like confetti, eggs, cocaine, honey.

What it should of focus on was stereotypes and comic relief that gets them in a problem and they somehow get out of it. It felt like it was also lacking jokes that the writers were scrapping from the bottom of a barrel to find any. That they had to have a baby involved such as getting high on marijuana but after that took it a step too far with cocaine. There's no stereotypical jokes or shows Harold and Kumar trying new stuff out. The character development was lacking even for Harold and Kumar it felt like they had no bond between them because the creators had to bring two other boring characters such as Todd (with a baby) and Adrian, one for Harold and one for Kumar feels like they needed one white card each. The Ukraine mafia was too slapstick and didn't chase Harold and Kumar around like they were with the CIA.

Rosenberg and Goldstein had a short part and one was converted to Christianity, why not Islam or some other religion that's just typical for a Christmas movie. The only thing funny in this movie was the claymation of Harold and Kumar, Neil Patrick Harris (as funny as always) and the waffle robot which seemed to replace the imaginary marijuana bag of Kumar's fantasy. Also Harold having his genitalia stuck to a pole and scolded with hot coffee. Just saying that I recommend to just skip to those scenes or off youtube clips you don't need to see the whole movie.

Drifted into its stoner world along the way

[StevePulaski · 8/10 · 5 November 2011]

The Harold & Kumar franchise is beginning to show signs of wear and tear, yet it still packs fun and laughs because of its actors and the lively, upbeat material. That's not to say the material is always shining, in fact, in terms of writing, this is probably the raunchiest installment in the franchise yet. Which doesn't mean it is the funniest. This may be the least funny of the series, yet this seems on the same level as Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, an inferior but amusing sequel.

Being faced with the third installment is always an iffy place to be. Especially when you see it end. You try and think to yourself whether or not a sequel will be made. Here? I'm honestly not sure. I don't want there to be, but there are a few set ups which make it seem like they are considering it. No sequel will match the humor the introduction to these characters brought us. It was erected from the simplicity of the story and the extreme likability of the characters.

John Cho and Kal Penn, who took a leave from his position at the White House, reprise their roles as the stoner duo who have now been out of contact for six years. Harold is a successful Wall Street banker, while Kumar is busy sitting on his couch with his buddy, smoking pot, and waiting for the next random hookup. Harold is married to the love of his life Maria (Garces), and her side of the family, including her father (Trejo), is coming over on Christmas Eve.

Maria's family is made up of thugs with tattoos and heavy muscles. Her father loves Christmas and cherishes it because when he was young he never had a respectable celebration with his family. When Maria and her family leave to attend a Midnight Mass, Harold is left in charge to decorate the authentic Christmas tree. Kumar comes over, and the duo accidentally burn down the tree (think hard, and the way they do it will come to you).

Harold and Kumar now team up to try and find a new Christmas tree for the family before the family comes home. Joining them for a brief amount of time on their adventure is Harold's friend, a new father with a child and Kumar's buddy who is hellbent on having sex with a young virgin. The baby jokes almost completely destroy the film with her inhaling marijuana smoke and cocaine. The result isn't laughter, but a cringing factor that can easily destroy a comedy film.

Thankfully, those two "characters" are abandoned while the real stars do what they do best. Wander around aimlessly, falling into comedic traps that are sometimes funny and sometimes not. Somewhere along the way in the second film, Harold & Kumar morphed into a strange, comedic fantasy rather than a straight forward comedy.

There was a gag in the second film about a child with a severe birth defect giving him only one eye, and very many scenes in this film involving fictionalized events such as a baby crawling around on the roof after getting mixed in with cocaine and the certain appearance of a jolly character. We begin to question why did the filmmakers feel the need to incorporate such far-fetched elements in a comedy. I believe it just adds to the phrase "stoner comedy film." As far as the 3D aspect of the film, it's there but not necessary. It looks better than a lot of 3D films I've seen over the years, but the extra ticket price is absurd for a film like this. One thing that incredibly aggravates me about this film is the fact that it is what I call a "3D abuser." This is the reason why 3D is a lose-lose for a movie; if you incorporate too many 3D elements in the film (IE: throwing things at the audience or having an opening credit sequence devoted to using the extra dimension) it will look awkward and out of place by the time you watch the 2D DVD. If you don't put the dimension to use and don't utilize enough, the film will be criticized for even using it in the first place. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, when titled something like A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas on DVD, will look awkward and very, very strange on a 2D disc.

But numerous pluses continue to put a smile on my easily pleased face. The presence of Neil Patrick Harris, the use of the two leads to the fullest degree, the excellent claymation sequence, and the touching ending show just what the franchise has long been about. Heart and hilarity. As much as I loved the first film and have a soft spot for each sequel, it's time for a good thing to come to an end. The series has just about overstayed its welcome, and another sequel could very much put an unwanted stain on the fabric of the franchise, like so many filmmakers feel like doing to franchises now.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is good, pre-holiday fun. It's not as downbeat and as miserable as Bad Santa, yet it doesn't have the pleasing plot of a Christmas classic. It takes its R rating, embraces it, and is proud of the way its traveled. After all, adventures to White Castle, Guantanamo Bay, and a search for a giant Christmas tree in the span of a few years is what I would call a long odyssey. An odyssey that should dock and deport before it goes into uncharted territory.

Starring: John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris, Danny Trejo, Paul Garces, and Bobby Lee. Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson.

Crazy town

[gigifoo · 7/10 · 15 December 2023]

OMG, what did I watch last night? I mean there were some seriously hilarious moments, but I wasn't high enough. I mean high at all! I think to thoroughly enjoy this flick you need a big fatty (if you know what I mean!) This being said, I just adore Harold and Kumar and always love watching their adventures. Maybe the excrement on the vehicle went a little too far for me in this movie, but overall very funny. Without giving anything away, the scenes with the baby girl are particularly funny once she gets going. And of course, I always love Danny Trejo. What's not to love about him? Give it a go... Especially if you're high or buzzed you will undoubtable walk away with at least a few chuckles.

You can't even put this one on the same bag as the previous 2

[jpmp9 · 4/10 · 22 January 2012]

There are people saying this one is the best of the three movies, some say it's the worst. I say, this movie is so bad directed you can't even relate it to the previous 2! This is obviously a movie not for kids, so why put Santa claus, the hero waffle robot and miracles in this?I really don't get the point of the director...

Another thing that annoyed me is the 3D thing. During the whole movie you will see hats and things flying in slow movie just to show people the 3d technology... First 2 times:"yeah OK they need to show off this 3D thing". The 20th time:" omfg why they keep doing this?". It gets really annoying! It has some great moments too, but its a disgrace when comparing to the first 2. Any other director would have made this a great movie! This is one of the most overrated movies i've seen here, NEVER a 7.1!